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INDEX •*• •*• 



BY 

^. r. Besse, 



WESLEYAN METHODIST 
PUBLISHING HOUSE, 
SYRACUSE, N.Y. 
1895. 



CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX. 



BY 



REV. H. T. BESSE, 



AUTHOR OF " THE CHRISTIAN SABBATH ;" " BIBLICAL 

CHRONOLOGY f *< THE JEWISH CALENDAR ;" 

"BESSe's PERPETUAL CALENDAR," AND 

" god's FINANCIAL SYSTEM." 




SYRACUSE, N. Y.: 

WESLEYAN METHODIST PUB. HOUSE. 

1895. 






COPYEIGHT 
1895 

BY H. T. BESSE. 



LC Control Number 




tmp96 027443 



CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX TO THE MOST IMPORTANT 
INCIDENTS RECORDED IN THE BIBLE. 

PERIOD I. — THE CREATION. 

Genesis i. 1. — "In the beginning God created tlie heaven and 
the earth." 

The period of the earth's history covered by this verse belongs 
to the science of geology. The record thereof is found in the 
different strata of the earth's crust, and in the fossils which 
plainly indicate successive ephocs of geological time. Neither 
the date nor the duration of these epochs are indicated in the 
Bible. 

We adopt the numbers of the Septuagint version of the sacred 
Scriptures. , 

B. C. 

5553. Gen. i. 3, 5. — (First day.) ''God said let there be lights 

and there was light And God called the light day^ 

and the darkness he called night : and the evening and the 
morning were the first day." 

If we are correct this first day (Julian time) was Monday,, 
September 28d, before the Christian era 5552 y^ars and 100 days. 

i. 6.— (Second day.) On this day God made a firmament 
which divided tlie waters which were in the air from the waters 
which were on the earth. 

i. 9-13. — (Third day.) The waters on the earth were gathered 
into seas, so that dry land appeared. And the earth brought 
forth grass, herbs and trees, with seeds in them. 

i. 14-19. — (Fourth day.) On this day the mist in the air had 
so far disappeared as to allow the sun to shine upon the earth 
by day, and the moon and stars by night. 

i. 20-23. — (Fifth day.) God made fish in the waters, and birds 
to fly in the air. 

i. 24, 25.— (Sixth day.) On this day God made the beasts of 
the field, and things which creep upon the earth. 

(3) 



4 CHKONOLOGICAL INDEX. 

i. 26-28.— The last and crowniog work of God in the creation 
was performed when he made man in his own image and likeness, 
to whom he gave dominion over all living creatures in the sea 
in the air and on the earth. 

i. 29.*— God gave man, for food, the seed of herbs and fruit of 
trees, but not animal flesh, 

ii. 2. — (Seventh day.) " God finished on the sixth day his 
works which he made, and he ceased on the seventh day from 
all his works which he made. And God blessed the seventh 
day and sanctified it, because in it he ceased from all his works 
which God began to do." (Septuagint.) This seventh day is the 
Lord's day, corresponding to the Christian Sabbath, but not 
the Mosaic Sabbath. 

PERIOD II. — FROM THE FALL OF MAN TO THE FLOOD. 
B. C. 

5553. Gen. iii. — Man fell from his state of purity, and God 
pronounced the sentence upon the guilty pair ; yet he promised 
a Savior, of the seed of the woman. 

5551. iv. 1. — The world first peopled after Adam and Eve 
had left paradise. 

5424. 3-8.— About this time Cain and Abel offer sacrifice, 
and Abel is murdered by his brother. 

5323. v. 3. -Seth born. Adam's age, 230. 

5118. 6 — Enos born. Seth's age, 205. 

5116, iv. 26. — About this time men began to call upon the 
name of the Lord. 

4928. V. 9— Cainan born. Enos' age 190. 

4758. 12— Mahalaleel born. Cainan's age, 170. 

4622. 5. — Adam died, aged 930 years. 

4593. 15.— Jared born. Mahalaleel's age, 165. 

4431. 18 — Enoch, the seventh from Adam, born. Jared's 
age, 162. 

4411. 8. -Seth died, aged 912 years. 

4266 21. — Methuselah born. Enoch's age, 165. 

4213. 11.— Enos, the third from Adam, died, aged 905 
years. 

4079. 25.— Lamecji, the father of Noah, born. Methuselah's 
age 187. 

4066. 23, 24.— Enoch, in the 365th year of his age, taken up 
to God. 

4018. 14.— Cainan died, aged 910 years. 



CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX. 5 

B. C. 

3891. 28.— Noah, the father and patriarch of the new world 
after the flood, born. Lamech's age, 188. 

3863. 17.— Mahalaleel, the fifth from Adam, died, aged 895 
years. 

3631. 20.— Jared, the sixth from Adam, died, aged 962 years. 

3411. Gen. vi. 3; 1 Pet. iii. 20; 2 Pet. ii. 5. — God com- 
manded Noah to build the ark, 120 years before the flood. 

3391. Gen. v. 32. — To Noah, aged 500 years, is born Japheth, 
and two years after, Shem. 

3302. V. 31.— Lamech, the ninth from Adam, died, aged 777 
years. He is the first man whom the Scriptures mention to 
have died a natural death before his father. 

3296. Gen. v. 27.— Methuselah died, in the 969th year of his 
age. He was the oldest man. 

3291. vii. 11-24. — The flood came upon the earth in the 
600th year of Noah's age, and continued 150 days. 

PEHIOD III. — FROM THE FLOOD TO TERAH'S DWELLING AT HARAN. 
B. C. 

3290. Gen. viii ; ix :d-i^ — The flood ceased, and God made 
a covenant with Noah and his seed, promising never again to 
destroy the world by water ; in token whereof he placed the 
bow in the cloud. 

3289. xi. 10. — Arphaxad born. Shem's age, 100. 

3154. xi. 12.— Cainan born. Arphaxad's age, 135. The 
Septuagint gives this item ; it is also mentioned by Luke iii : 36; 
but it is not in the Hebrew Bible 

3024. 13.— Salah born. Cainan's age, 130. 

2941. ix. 29.— Noah died, aged 950. 

2894. xi. 14.— Eber born. Salah's age, 130. 

2789. 11.— Shem died, aged 600. 

2760. 16 — Peleg born. Eber's age, 134. 

2751. 13.— Arphaxad, the third from Noah, died, aged 538. 

2694. 13.— Cainan, the fourth from Noah, died, aged 460 
years. (Septuagint.) 

2646. X. 11. — The foundation of Nineveh, the metropolis of 
Assyria, was laid by As.'-hur. 

xi. 4-8. — About this time the posterity of Nimrod began to 
build the city and tower of Babel. 

2630. 18.-Reuborn. Peleg's age, 130. 

Ps. cv. 23 ; Is. xix. 11. — Mizraim, the grandson of Ham 



6 CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX. 

led colonies into Egypt,, and laid the foundation of a kingdom 
whence Egypt is called the land of Ham, and the Egyptian 
Pharaohs boasted themselves to be the sons of ancient kings. 

B. C. 

2498. Gen. xi. 30.— Serug born. Ecu's age, 132. 

3490. 17.— Eber, the sixth from Noah, died, aged 404 years. 

Gen. xiv. 13, — From Eber or Heber, Abraham and his pos- 
terity were called Hebrews. 

2421. xi. 19.— Peleg, the seventh from Noah, died, aged 339 
years. 

2368. 22.— Nahor born. Serug's age, 130. 

2289. 24. — Terah, Abram's father, born. Nahor's age, 79. 

2164. 25.— Nahor the tenth from Koah, died, aged 204 years. 

2159. 26, 32; xii. 4; Acts vi. 4.— Abram born. He was 
75 years of age when his father, Terah, died, aged 205 years ; so 
that Terah begat Abram in the 130th year of his age, and in 
the 70th year of his age Nahor and Haran. 

2149. Gen. xi. 29, 30 ; xvii. 17.— Sarai, Abram's wife and 
daughter of Haran, Abram's brother, was born ten years after 
her husband. 

2291. xi. 21.— Reu, the eighth from Noah, died, aged 239 
years- 

2188. 23.— Serug, the ninth from Noah, died, aged 330 years, 

2085. 31.— Terah, with his family, left Ur of the Chaldees. 
and dwelt at Haran. 

PERIOD IV. — FKOM ABRAM LEAVING HARAN TO THE EXODUS 
FROM EGYPT. 
B. C. 

2084. Gen. xii. 1-4; Gal. iii. 17; Ex. xii. 40.— Abram, after 
Ms father's decease, in the 75th year of his age, is commanded 
hj God to enter upon the land of Canaan, which God promised 
to give unto his seed. From this date to the exodus of the 
Israelites out of Egypt are reckoned 430 years. 

2083. xii. 10. —A famine in the land of Canaan forced Abram, 
with his family, to go into Egypt. 

xiii. 5-12. — Abram and Lot return into Canaan ; but the land 
not being sufficient for both their flocks, they part asunder. Lot 
went toward Sodom. 

xiv. 1-4, etc. — About this time Chedorlaomer, king of Elam, 
subdued the kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim and 
Bela ; who served him twelve years. 



CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX. 7 

B. C. 

2074. XV. 2. — Abram complained for want of an heir. God 
promised him a son, and to multiply his seed. 

Sarai, being barren gave Hagar, her handmaid, to Abram. 

2072. xvi. 15. — Ishmael, Hagar's son, born. 

2070. xiv. 4. — Bera, the king of Sodom, with four other 
Mngs, rebelled against Chedorlaomer, but were overcome by 
him in the valley of Siddim. 

2069. 8-22. — Four kings fought against five and Lot was 
taken prisoner, Abram rescued him, slew Chedolaomer and his 
confederates, and in his return was blessed by Melchizedek king 
of Salem, and priest of God, to whom Abram gave tithes. 

2060. xvii. — God made a covenant with Abram. and in 
token of a greater blessing, changed his name into Abraham. 
As a seal of this covenant, circumcision was ordained. Sarai's 
name is also changed into Sarah. God promised them a son, 
and commanded that his name be called Isaac ; in him God 
promised to establish his covenant. 

xviii. — Abraham entertained three angels, who renewed the 
promise to him of having a son. God revealed to Abraham the 
destruction of Sodom, with whom Abraham interceded for Lot 
and his family. 

xix. 15-30. — When the Lord decided to destroy Sodom and 
Gomorrah he commanded Lot, for the preservation of himself 
and his family, to flee to the mountain. Lot's wife for looking 
back, contrary to God's command, was turned into a pillar of 
salt. Lot and his two daughters escaped. 

2059. xxi. 2. — Isaac born in the 100th year of Abraham's age. 
Not long after, to Lot are born Moab and Ammon, his sons, 
at the same time his grandsons. 

2055. 0, 10. — Hagar and Ishmael, at Sarah's request, were 
cast forth. 

2564. xi. 15.— Salah, the fifth from Noah, died, aged 460 
years. 

2034. xxii. — God tempted Abraham to offer Isaac. 

2022. xxiii. 1.— Sarah died at Hebron in Canaan, in the 
127th year of her age. 

2019. XXV. 20. — Isaac married Rebekah the daughter of 
Bethucl, the son of Nahor, in the 40th year of his age. 

1999. XXV. 24.— Jacob and Esau born in the 60th year of 
their father Isaac's age. 

1984. 7. — Abraham died, aged 175 years. 



8 CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX. 

B. C. 

1959. xxvi. 34. — Esau, aged forty years, married Judith the 
daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath the daughter of 
Elon the Hittite. 

1935. XXV. 17. — Ishmael died, aged 137 years. 

1926. xxvii., xxviii., xxix. — Jacob, aged 73, by his mother's 
instruction, obtained the blessing from Isaac his father, which 
was designed for Esau. Upon which he was forced to flee into 
Mesopotamia, to shun his brother's rage. Upon the way were 
foretold unto him in a vision the blessings of his posterity. He 
went to his uncle Laban's house, and covenanted to serve him 
seven years for his daughter Rachel. 

1919. xxix. 15-28, — After Jacob had served seven years for 
Rachel, Laban deceived him by giving him Leah ; and Rachel 
is also given him to wife, upon condition of serving him seven 
years more. 

Of Leah are born, 

1918. 32.— Reuben, 

1917. 33.— Simeon, 

1916. 31— Levi, 

1915. 35. — Judah, from whom the Jews receive their denom- 
ination. 

1912. XXX. 23-25. — Rachel gave birth to Joseph. Jacob, 
desiring to depart, is persuaded by Laban to serve six years 
more for part of his flock. 

1906. xxxi. — Jacob, after he had been twenty years in 
Mesopotamia, set forward on his journey homeward without 
acquainting his father-in-law. 

34. — Rachel stole her father's gods, and was pursued by 
Laban. 

xxxii, xxxiii. — Jacob by his prudence was reconciled to his 
brother Esau. He wrestled with an angel at Peniel, and was 
called Israel. 

XXXV. 16-18. — Benjamin was born, and Rachel died. Some 
think that Job lived about this time. 

1895, xxxvii. — Joseph was hated by his brethren, and is sold 
to merchantmen — Ishmaelites and Midianites— who carry him 
into Egypt, where he is sold to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, 
and by him made overseer of his house, aged 17 years. 

1894. xxxix., xl. — Joseph resisted the temptations of his 
master's wife ; he was falsely accused by her, and cast into 
prison. He interpreted the dreams of Pharaoh's butler and 
baker, which came to pass according to his interpretation. 



CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX. 9 

B. C. 

1879. XXXV. 28. — Isaac died, aged 180 years, and was buried 
"by Ms sons, Jacob and Esau. 

1883. xli. 25-46.— Joseph interpreted Pharaoh's two dreams ; 
he gave Pharaoh counsel, and was made governor of the whole 
land of Egypt, at the age of 30 years. 

1880. 47-52. — Here begin the seven years of plenty in the land 
of Egypt. 

About this time Manasseh and Ephraim, Joseph's two sons, 
are born of Asenath, daughter of Potipherah, priest of On. 

1873. 54. — Here begin the seven years of famine. 

1871. xlii. 1, 4. —Jacob sent his ten sons to buy corn in 
Egypt ; they are imprisoned by Joseph for spies, but are set at 
liberty on condition of bringing Benjamin, and Simeon is kept 
as a pledge. 

1870. xliii., xl v.— Jacob was with much difficulty persuaded 
to send Benjamin. Joseph made himself known to his brethren, 
and sent for his father by command from Pharaoh. 

xlvi. — Jacob having offered sacrifice to God that his son 
Joseph was yet alive, went with all his family into Egypt in 
the third year of the famine, and 130th year of his age. He was 
located in the land of Goshen. 

1864. xlvii. 13-22. — Joseph received all the money, lands 
and cattle of the Egyptians for bread ; only the lands belonging 
to the priests he did not buy. 

1852. xlviii. 1. — Jacob adopted Ephraim and Manasseh, 
and blessed them and all his sons ; prophesied the descent of 
the Messiah from Judah, and died, aged 147 years, seventeen of 
which he lived in Egypt. He was with great pomp carried into 
Canaan, and buried in the sepulchre of his father. 

1798. 1. 25, 26. — Joseph on his death bed prophesied to his 
brethren their return to Canaan ; took an oath of them to carry 
his bones out of Egypt, and died, aged 110 years. 

The book of Genesis ends in the death of Joseph, containing^ 
the history of 3755 years. 

1779. Levi died in Egypt, aged 137 years. He was grand- 
father to Moses and Aaron. 

1740. Exodus i. 8-14. — Here begins the bondage of the chil- 
dren of Israel, when a king rose up in Egypt, who knew not 
Joseph. 

1737. vii. 7. — Aaron born three years before his brother 
Moses, 83 years before the departure of the children of Israel 
out ot Egypt. 



10 CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX. 

i, 15, 22. — Pharaoh, having in vain commanded the Hebrew 
midwives to destroy all the male children of the Israelites, sent 
forth an edict to cast them into the river. 

B. c. 

1734. ii. 1, 5, 10.— Moses was born, who, being hid in the 
flags by the river's side, was found by Pharaoh's daughter, and 
became her adopted son. 

1694. 11-21. — Moses in the 40th year of his age, having slain 
an Egyptian, whom he saw contending with a Hebrew, fled into 
Midian, where he married Zipporah, the daughter of Reuel, or 
Jethro, a priest, and lived with him forty years. 

1692. Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, born. 

1654. iii.— Whilst Moses kept his father-in-law's sheep 
at Mount Horeb, God appeared to him in a burning bush, and 
sent him to deliver Israel. 

V. — Moses and Aaron, having declared to Pharaoh the mes- 
sage on which they were sent unto him from God, were charged 
by him as heads of a mutiny and sent away, and more 
grievous labors were forthwith laid upon the Israelites. 

vii. 7-12. — Moses being now 80, and Aaron 83 years of 
age, urged thereunto by God, returned again unto Pharaoh, 
where the magicians by their sorcery imitated the miracle of 
Aaron's rod turned into a serpent, made Pharaoh more obstinate. 

vii., xi. — God visited ten plagues upon the Egyptians. 

PERIOD V. — FROM THE EXODUS TO THE FOUNDATION OF THE 
TEMPLE. 

Exodus xh. 6. — Upon the fourteenth day of the first month 
{which was Friday, April the 4th, Julian time), in the evening, 
the pascal lamt was killed. One thousand six hundred and 
eighty three years after this, on the same hour of the day, on 
the anniversary of the passover, Christ— our passover — expired 
on the cross. 

B. c. 

1654. 29, 41.— Upon the fifteenth day of the same month, at 
midnight, the first-born of Egypt being all slain, Pharaoh and 
Ms servants made haste to send away the Israelites ; and they 
went out of bondage, being the complete term of 430 years from 
the first pilgrimage of their ancestors, reckoning from Abra- 
ham's departure out ot Charran or Haran 

xiv. — At the Red Sea Pharaoh wi^h his host overtook the 
Israelites ; Moses and the children of Israel passed through on 



CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX. 11 

dry ground, Pharaoh and his army followed ; and were all 
overwhelmed by the waters coming together. 

xvi. — Upon the fifteenth day of the second month (being Mon- 
day, May the 5th, Julian time), the Israelites came to the wilder- 
ness of Sin, which lies between Elimand Sinai, where for want 
of food they murmured against God and their leaders. About 
the eventide God sent them quails, and the next morning rained 
upon them manna from heaven ; and upon that kind of bread 
they lived during forty years. On the Mosaic Sabbath, which 
was the twentieth day of the second month (being Saturday, 
May the 10th), no manna fell. 

xvii. 1-7.— At Rephidim the people murmured for want of 
water. God directed Moses to strike the hard rock in Horeb 
with his rod, and the water gushed out. 

8-13. — The Amalekites, falling upon the rear of the Israelites, 
were discomfited by Joshua, whilst Moses held up his hands. 

xviii. 1-6. — Jethro brought his daughter Zipporah, with 
ber two sons, Gershom and Eliezer, to Moses, his son in-law. 

XX. — God published his law, contained in the Ten Command- 
ments, with a voice from Mount Sinai, on the fifth day of the 
third month (which was Sunday, the 2Dth day of May, Julian 
time). 

Acts ii. —This day was remembered in the feast of weeks or 
pentecost, until the Spirit was poured out on its anniversary. 

Exodus xxi.-xxiii ; Deut ix. 9. — God gave the people sundry 
other laws, which were written in the book of the covenant and 
Moses proposed them to the people. 

Exodus xxiv.-xxxi. — Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, 
and seventy men of the elders of Israel, went up into the mount, 
and there beheld the glory of God ; the rest returning, Moses 
with his servant Joshua abode there still, and waited six days, 
and upon the seventh day God spoke unto Moses, and there he 
continued forty days and forty nights, eating no meat nor drink- 
ing water, where he received God's command touching the frame 
of the tabernacle, the priests' garments, their consecration, sac- 
rifices, and other things. 

xxxi. 18 ; xxxii. — At the end of forty days, God gave Moses 
the two tables of the law engraved in stone, and written with 
his own finger. God commanded him to get down quickly for 
the people had made to themselves a molten calf to worship. 
Moses descended from the mount, and seeing the people keep- 
ing a festival in honor of their idol, broke the tables of the law; 
for which the Jews kept a solemn fast. 



12 CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX. 

B. C. 

1654. 20, 28.— Moses defaced the idol and put 3000 of the 
idolaters to death by the hands of the Levites. 

xxxiv.— God commanded Moses to frame hew tables of stone, 
and to bring them into the mount. Moses took them into the- 
mount, and while he stood in the cleft of a rock, God passed by, 
and showed him a glimpse of his glory. 

10-17.— God renewed his covenant with his people, and upon, 
certain conditions gave them his laws again. 

xxxix. — In this year the tabernacle, the ark of the covenant, 
the altar, the table of shew- bread, the priests' garments, the 
holy ointments, the candlestick, and other uten^ls and vessels 
belonging to the sacrifices, were finished in the desert at Mount 
Sinai, and were brought unto Moses. 

1653. xl. — The tabernacle was set up on the first day of the 
first month of the second year, which was the Mosaic Sabbath, 
and anointed with holy oil, and Aaron and his sons were conse- 
crated for the priesthood. 

Lev. ix. 24 —The fire upon God's altar came out from before^ 
the Lord, which was not to be allowed to cease to burn. 

X. — Nadab and Abihu, for offering strange fire, were struck, 
dead by fire from the Lord. 

Numb. vii. — The princes of the tribes presented their offer- 
ings toward the dedication of the tabernacle. 

ix. — The second passover was observed, 

X. 29. — Moses invited Hobab, his brother-in-law, to journey 
with them and share in God's promises. 

xi. 3L — The people lusted for flesh ; God gave them quails in 
wrath, and sent withal a most grievous plague among them. 

xii. — God rebuked the sedition of Miriam and Aaron, by in- 
flicting the former with leprosy, and maintained the divine 
appointment of Moses. 

xiii.— From the wilderness of Paran, near Kadesh-barnea, 
twelve men were sent (among whom were Caleb and Joshua) to» 
discover the land of Canaan. Returning they brought with them 
a branch of a vine, with a cluster of grapes upon it. Ten of the 
twelve so sent spoke ill of the country, and magnified the cities 
for their strength, and the giantly stature of the inhabitants. 

xiv. — The people, terrified with this relation, were about to 
return into Egypt, from which Caleb and Joshua endeavoring 
to dissuade them barely escaped being stoned. At this God 
threatened to destroy them. He declared all who were then, 
twenty years old and upward (except Caleb and Joshua) should 



CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX. 13 

die in the wilderness. The men who raised the evil report were 
all destroyed by sudden death. 

B. C. 

1634. xvi., xvii. — Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, for raising a 
mutiny against Moses and Aaron, were swallowed alive into 
the earth, and 250 of their associates. Twelve rods being 
brought by twelve princes, and laid in the sanctuary, Aaron's 
rod only budded, and brought forth almonds, and was laid up 
before the ark, for a memorial to those who should afterwards be 
given to rebellion, 

1615. XX. 1. — Here Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron, 
died, in the first month of the Mosaic year. 

2-12. — The people again for want of w^ater murmured against 
JMoses and Aaron. God commanded Moses to call water out of 
the rock by speaking to it. Moses, being moved through impa- 
tience, spoke unadvisedly with his lips, and struck the rock 
thrice with Aaron's rod, and the water flowed from it ; but for 
transgressing God's command, they were both debarred from 
entering into the land of Canaan. 

23, 28. — In the fifth month of this year Aaron died, on the top 
of Mount Hor, at the age of 123 years, leaving his son Eleazar, 
his successor, in the high priesthood. 

xxi. 5, 9 ; John iii. 14 ; I Cor. x. 9. — The people murmured 
and were plagued with fiery serpents whereof many died ; upon 
their repentance God commanded that a brazen serpent be made 
and lifted up upon a pole, that as many as looked on it lived. 

Numb, xxi. 20. — About the latter end of this year all those 
who at Kadesh-barnea mutinied against God being dead, the 
Israelites encamped at Mount Pisgah. 

21-25. — Sihon, king of the Amorites, refusing them passage 
through his country, was slain, and the Israelites poL:::,esstd his 
land. 

1614. 33-35. — Og, the king of Bashan, coming out against 
Israel, was destroyed with all his people, and his country pos- 
sessed by the Israelites. 

xxii, 1, 2. — After these victories the Israelites moved forward, 
and encamp in the plains of Moab. 

3; Joshua xxiv. 9.— Balak, king of Moab, considering what 
the Israelites had done to the Amorites, feared, lest under pre- 
tence of passing through his country, they should possess them- 
selves of his whole kingdom, took counsel with the princes of 
the Midianites his neighbors, and sent for Balaam to come and 



14 CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX. 

curse the Israelites, promising him great rewards ; purposing 
afterwards to make war upon them. 

Numbers xxii. 9, 35. — Balaam, forewarned of God, refused 
at first to come ; hut being sent for a second time, he importuned 
God to let him go, and went with a purpose to curse Israel ; but 
God was offended and made the dumb ass on which he rode to 
speak in a man's voice, to reprove his folly. - 

II. Pet. ii. 15, 16 ; Numb, xxiii ; Deut. xxiii. 5 ; Joshua xxiv 
10. — Balaam tM'ice offered sacrifice, and would have cursed 
Israel, to gratify Balak, but being restrained by the Spirit of 
God, instead of cursing he blessed them altogether ; foretelling 
what felicity would attend them, and what calamities should 
befall their enemies. 

Deut. iv. 3; Psa. cvi. 28; Rev. ii. 14; I. Cor, x. viii ; 
Numb. XXV. — By Balaam's advice the women of Moab and 
Midian are set to work to turn the Israelites away to idolatry. 
Wherefore God commanded Moses first to take all the ringleaders 
of this disorder, and hang them up before the sun, and then gave 
order to the judges to put to death all such as had joined them- 
selves to Baal-peor. Last of all, God sent a plague upon the 
people, which caused the death of 24,000. 

Numb. XXV. 7-17; Psa. cvii. 30. — Phinehas, thesonof Elea- 
zar, by killing Zimri, the chief of his father's family, and Cozbi, 
the daughter of Zur, a prince of the Midianites, appeased the 
wrath of God, and the plague ceased. God therefore settled 
the high priesthood forever upon the house of Phinehas, and 
commanded that war be made upon the Midianites. 

XX vi. — Moses and Eleazar, by God's command, in the plain 
of Moab, near unto Jordan, over against Jericho, number the 
people from twenty years old and upwards, and find them 
to be 601,730 men besides the Levites, whose number, reck- 
oning them from one month old and upwards, was 23,000 ; 
and then Moses received command for the distribution of the 
land of promise among the Israelites. 

xxvii. 1-11. — The daughters of Zelophehad had their father's 
land parted among them for want of male issue ; this occasioned 
the law for succession in heritages to be made. 

12-23; Deut. iii. 26-28.— God signified to Moses that he should 
die, and Joshua was declared to be his successor ; upon whom. 
Moses laid his hands, and gave him instructions. 

Numb, xxxi ; Josh. xiii. 21, 22. — Twelve thousand of the 
Israelites under the command of Phinehas vanquished the Midian* 



CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX. 15 

ites, and put to the sword all the males among them, with their 
five princes, and among them Zur, the father of Cozbi, and 
Baalam, but they saved the women alive ; at which Moses was. 
wroth, and commanded that every male child, and all the wom- 
en, except such as were virgins should be killed. 

Numb, xxxii ; Deut. iii ; Josh, xiii, and xxii. — The lands which 
belonged to Sihon and Og, namely, all from the river Arnon. 
to Mount Hermon, Moses divided and gave to the tribes of 
Reuben and Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh, so that 
their possessions lay on the east side of Jordan ; nevertheless- 
they assisted the rest of the tribes in all their wars, till they 
had subdued the Canaanites, and possessed the promised land, 
on the west of Jordan. 

Deut. xxvii., xxviii. — Moses commanded the peDple, that in 
their passage over Jordan they should take great stones, and en- 
grave the Ten Commandments on them. 

xxxiii. — Moses now drawing near to his end, blessed every 
tribe in particular, by way of prophecy, save only the tribe of 
Simeon. 

xxxiv. — In the first part of the 12th month of this year Moses. 
went up to Mount Nebo, and from thence beheld the land of 
promise, and there died, aged 120 years, and God buried him. 

Here ends the Pentateuch, or five books of Moses, containing 
the history of 3938 years and a half, from the beginning of the 
history of the world. 

xxxiv. 8; Josh, ii.— The Israelites having mourned for Moses, 
thirty days, and Joshua being confirmed in his government by 
God, on the 4th day of the first month sent spies to the city of 
Jericho, who, being harbored by Rahab, were privately sent 
away, when search was made for them. 

iii., iv. — On Monday, the tenth day of the first month, the 
Israelites under the command of Joshua, a type of Jesus Christ, 
crossed the river Jordan into the promised land of Canaan. 

V. 10. — Upon Friday, the 14th day of the same month, in the 
evening, the Israelites celebrated their first passover in the land 
of Canaan. 

11, 12— On Sunday, the 16th day of the first month, they 
offered the first fruits, which was a type of the resurrection of 
Christ and the Christian Sabbath, and ate the fruit of the 
land. From this date manna ceased to fall. 

13.— Our Lord Jesus, Captain of the Lord's host, appeared 



16 CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX. 

to Joshua before Jericho, with a drawn sword in his hand, and 
promised to defend his people. 

vi. — Jericho was taken after the ark of the Lord had been 
carried around it seven days, and sevea times on the seventh 
day, the walls thereof falling down at the sound of the priests' 
trumpets and the shout of the people. 

vii., viii. — The Israelites besieged Ai, and were smitten by their 
enemies, God having abandoned them for sacrilege committed 
by Acban. 

30-35.— On Mount Ebal, according to the law, an altar was 
erected, and the Ten Commandments were engraved on it; and 
the blessings and cursings were repeated on Mount Ebal and 
Mount Gerizlm. 

ix.— The kings of Canaan combined against Israel; but the 
Gibeonites craftily found a way to save their own lives by mak- 
ing a league with them. 

B. C. 

1613. Ex. xxiii. 10, 11. — From the autumn of this year, after 
the failing of manna, they began to till the ground, 

1608. Jush. xi. — The seven kings, with whom Joshua had 
waged war for six years, resolved to set their united forces 
against him, but Joshua slew them, and possessed their countries. 

xxiii. 4. — Joshua divided by lot all the land on the west of 
Jordan among the nine tribes remaining, and the other half- 
tribe of Manasseh. The Lord and his sacrifices are the inherit- 
ance of the Levites. 

xviii. 1. — The tabernacle was set up at Shiloh. 

xxii — The Reubenices, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, 
with a blessing, were sent home o their possessions on the east 
side of Jordan. 

1589. xxiii., xxiv; Josephus Ant. v. 1,29. — Joshua gathered 
together all Israel, exhorted them to obedience, having led the 
Israelites 25 years, briefly recited Gods benefits to them, renewed 
the covenant between them and God, and died, aged 110 years. 

Judges ii. 7; iii. 6, 7. — After the decease of Joshua, and the 
elders who outlived him, there succeeded a generation which 
forgot God, and united with the Canaanites by marriage, and 
worshiped their idols. This time of anarchy and confusion con- 
tinued 29 years. 

1560. Josephus Ant. V. 3, 2; Judges iii. 8. — God, being highly 
displeased with the sins of the Israelites, gave them into the 
hands of Cushan, the king of Mesopotamia, who held them eight 
years. 



CHEONOLOGICAL INDEX. 17 

B. C. 

1553. 9-11. — Othniel, the son of Kenaz, and son-in-law of 
Caleb, stirred up by God as a judge and avenger of bis people, 
defeated Cushan and delivered the Israelites out of bondage; 
and they had rest forty years. 

1513. 13, 14. — Oihniel died and the Israelites fell again into 
sin against God, and were given over into the hands of Eglon, 
king of Moab, "who, joined with the Ammonites and the Amale- 
kites, overthrew the Israelites, and took Jericho. This oppres- 
sion continued eighteen years. 

1494. Josephus Ant. v. 3, 3; Judges iii. 15, 30.— Ehud, the 
son of Gera, was raised up by God to avenge his people; feign- 
ing a message to Eglon, he ran him through with his dagger; 
then he gathered all Israel on Mount Ephraim, and slew 10,000 
of the most valiant men of Moab; and they had rest eighty years. 

31. — Sham gar, the son of Anath, slew 600 Philistines with an 
ox-goad. 

1414. iv. 1-3. — The Israelites, after the death of Ehud, re- 
turned to their old sin, and were given up by God into the hands 
of Jabin, king of Canaan. This thraldom continued twenty 
years. 

1394. 4-24, — Deborah, the wife of Lapidoth, a prophetess, 
who at this time judged Israel in Mount Ephraim, and Barak 
of the tribe of ISTaphtali, being made captain of the host of Israel, 
in sight of Megiddo, overcame Sisera, captain of Jabin's army, 
whom Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, afterward killed in 
her own tent. 

Judges V. — For a memorial of which victory Deborah com- 
posed a song; and they had rest forty years. 

1354. vi. 1. — The Israelite, sinned again and were delivered 
into the hands of the Midianites; which thraldom lasted seven 
years. 

1347. vii., viii. — Then Gideon, the son of Joash, of Manasseh, 
was by an angel from God sent to deliver them. He judged 
Israel 40 years. 

1307. viii. 33. — Gideon died, and the Israelites fell back again 
into idolatry, and wor: biped Baalberith. 

Josephus Ant. v. 7, 2; Judges ix. 1-32. — Abimelech, the son 
of Gideon, purposing to get to himself the kingdom which 
his father had refused, slew seventy of his brothers upon one 
stone; and by the help of the Shechemites, was made king, aiad 
ruled three years. 

1304. 32-53 ; II. Sara. xi. 31.— Abimelech, having reigned 



18 CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX. 

three years over Israel, Gaal, a Shecheraite, conspired against 
him; which being discovered to him by Zebul, he utterly de- 
stroyed the city of Shechem, 

Judges X. 1, 2.— Tola, the son of Puah, after A.bimelech, 
judged Israel twenty-three years. 

B. c. 

1281. 3. — Jair, the Gileadite, succeeded Tola, and judged 
Israel twenty two years. 

1259. 8. — The Israelites, forsaking again the true God, fell to 
worshiping the gods of several nations, and were given up into 
the hands of the Philistines and Ammonites ; which thraldom 
lasted eighteen years. 

1241. xii. 7. Jephthah, the Gileadite, being made captain of 
the host of Israel, subdued the Ammonites. Before the battle 
he vowed to offer his daughter in sacrifice, which he afterward 
performed. He judged Israel six years. 

1235. 8, 9. — Ibzan, the Bethlehemite, succeeded Jephthah and 
judged Israel seven years. 

1228. 11. — Elon, the Zebulonite, succeeded Ibzan and judged 
Israel ten years. 

1218. 13, 14. — Abdon, the Ephraimite, succeeded Elon and 
judged Israel eight years. 

1210. xiii, 1; xv. 20. — This was followed by servitude to 
the Philistines, whichlasted forty years, including twenty years 
of the judgeship of Sampson. 

1170. I. Sam. iv. 18.— Eli, the high priest to whom the Ligh 
priesthood was transferred from the family of Eleazar to 
Ithamar's, succeeded Abdon and judged Israel forty years. 

1157. Josephus Ant. v. 10, 4; I. Sam. iii. — Samuel was ac- 
knowledged to be a prophet of the Lord when about twelve 
years of age. 

1130. Josephus Ant. vi. 4; I. Sam. vii. 2. — After Eli's death 
the Israelites were in servitude to the Philistines twenty years, 
during which time they kept the ark of the Lord. 

1110. vii. 10-17; Josephus Ant. vi. 13, 5. — After twenty 
years the Israelites, by Samuel's persuasion, solemnly repented 
at Mizpeh, and, upon their conversion, God, by thunder from 
heaven, delivered them from the invasion of the Philistines, and 
Samuel after this judged Israel twelve years. 

1098. I. Sam. viii., xi; Acts xiii. 21. — Samuel, having grown 
old, took his sons to assist in his government, by whose ill 



CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX. 19 

management the Israelites required a king to be given them; 
and Saul become their king, who reigned 40 years. 
B. c. 

1088. I. Sam. xvii. 12. — David, the son of Jesse the Ephrathite, 
born at Beth-lehem-judah, thirty years before he succeeded Saul 
in the kingdom. 

1065. xvi. 11; Hosea xiii. 11. — God rejected Saul, and sent 
Samuel to Beth-lehem to anoint David king, whom Saul ever 
after persecuted. 

xviii. — Yet Jonathan, Saul's son, loved him, and often rescued 
Mm from Saul. 

1062. xxiv. — David, having Saul twice in his power, forbore 
to hurt him. 

1058. xxviii, — Saul, seeing the army of the Philistines, was 
in great fear ; and (Samuel being now dead) went to En-dor to 
consult with a witch ; the woman raised an apparition of Samuel, 
and Saul received from it that dreadful doom which befell him. 

II. Sam. ii. 8, 10, — Abner, who was captain of the host of 
Saul, carried Ishbosheth, Saul's son, to Mahanaim, and there 
made him king over a portion of Israel, who reigned two years. 
But the house of Judah followed David. 

1056. 12-32 ; iii. — After two years there arose frequent and 
mortal skirmishes between a party of men on David's side, 
headed by Joab, David's nephew, and another party on Ish- 
bosheth's side, whereof Abner was chief. But the former still 
grew stronger and stronger. 

21. — Abner, affronted by Ishbosheth, revolted to David and 
persuaded the chief men of Israel to transfer the whole kingdom 
unto him. 

1051. iv. 2-12. — Baanah and Rechab murdered their lord 
and master Ishbosheth, while resting himself upon his bed. 
They brought his head to David, who in detestation of their 
treason caused them immediately to be put to death. 

II. Sam. V. 1-3. — The captains and elders of all the tribes, 
coming to Hebron, anointed David a third time, and made him 
king over all Israel. He had then reigned seven years. 

I. Chron. xi; II. Sam. v. 6, 7.— David with all Israel marched 
to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, and took the fort of Zion, 
and called it the city of David, and made Jerusalem the seat of 
his kingdom, and reigned there over all Israel 33 years. 

1045. vi. ; I. Chron. xvi. ; II. Chron. i. 4.— The ark of the 
covenant, which was brought from Gilgal to Shiloh, was this 



20 CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX. 

year brought from Kirjatbjerim out of the house of Abinadab, 
and placed in Zion, 30,000 choice men of Israel attending it, and 
singing the 68th Psalm. 

11. Sam. vii., viii. ; I. Chron. xvii., xviii., xxii. — David, then 
dwelling in his house of cedar, which he had built, and living 
in a full and perfect peace, imparted to Nathan the prophet his 
purpose of building a house for God ; but was answered from 
God that this was a work which should be done not by him, 
because he was a man of blood, and trained up in war, but by 
his son Solomon, a man of peace. 

B. c. 

1027. II. Sam. xv. — Absalom, having gathered chariots and 
horses, and a guard to attend him, insinuated himself into the 
favor of the people and stole away their hearts from his father 
David. 

1026. 7. — The next year, under pretence of a vow, he ob- 
tained leave to go to Hebron, where by Ahithophel's counsel he 
broke out into open rebellion, and forced his father to flee from 
Jerusalem. 

xvii. — Ahithophel, because his counsel in all matters was not 
followed by Absalom, hung himself. 

xviii. — Absalom, having lost 20,000 men, fled, and a bough of 
an oak caught hold of his hair ; he there hung, and was run. 
through by Joab. 

1020. xxiv. ; I. Chron. xxi. — David, tempted by Satan, com- 
manded Joab to number the people. God was offended and 
sent a prophet to put three plagues to his choice, viz., the famine» 
sword, or pestilence. David chose to fall into the hands of a 
merciful God, rather than into the hands of men. So God sent 
a pestilence, by which 70,000 men died in one day. 

1019. I. Kings xiv. 21. — Rehoboam was born unto Solomon. 

1018. II. Sam. v. 4, 5; Josephus Ant. vii. 15, 2.— David 
having given instructions to his son Solomon, died after he had 
reigned in Hebron seven years and six months, and thirty-three 
years in Jerusalem over all Israel; and Solomon his son reigned 
in his stead. 

1017. I. Kings iii. 1 ; II. Chron. viii. 11.— Pharaoh, king of 
Egypt, gave his daughter in marriage to Solomon. 

I. Kings iii. 5-14. — The Lord appeared to Solomon in a 
dream, and bade him ask what he would, and it should be given 
him. Solomon asked wisdom ; God gave him wisdom from 
above, and added thereunto riches and honor. 



CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX. 21 

PERIOD YI. — FKOM THE FOUNDATION OF THE TEMPLE TO THE 
BURNING THEREOF. 
B. C. 

1014. I. Kings vi. 1 ; II. Chron. iii. 1. — On the fourth year 
of Solomon's reign he laid the foundation of the temple which 
was in the 640th year after the departure of the children of Israe^ 
out of Egypt. 

1007. I. Kings vi. 38. — Solomon's temple was finished in 
the eleventh year of his reign, having been seven years and a 
lialf in building. 

viii; II. Chron. v., vi., vii. — Solomon this year, with great 
magnificence, celebrated the dedication of the temple ; beginning 
on Saturday the 15th of the seventh month, continued seven days, 
occupying the time of the feast of tabernacles, at which time 
Ood gave a visible sign of his favor. 

979. I.Kings xi.; II. Chron. ix. — Solomon having, as it is 
hoped, forsook his lusts and vanities to which he had been in- 
temperately addicted, and wrote his book called the Preacher, 
and died. He reigned forty years. 

978. I. Kings xii. — The Israelites assembled at Shechem to 
crown Kehoboam, Solomon's son, king over all Israel. The peo- 
ple, by Jeroboam, asked him to remove some grievances, to 
whom Rehoboam, by the advice of young men, returned a harsh 
answer, and alienated the hearts of ten tribes from him, who 
made Jeroboam king over them, and fell at the same time from 
the house of David and from the true worship of God. 

xii. 25-33. — Jeroboam, in the beginning of his reign, repaired 
Shechem and dwelt there. But fearing lest his new subjects 
by going to Jerusalem to worship, might be induced to revolt 
from him, he devised a new form of religion, setting up two 
golden calves, the one at Bethel, the other at Dan, for the se- 
duced people to worship. 

xiv. ; II. Chron. xi, — From the time of this dismal rent Reho- 
boam reigned over Judah and Benjamin seventeen years, and 
Jeroboam over Israel, or the other ten tribes, twenty-two years. 

xi. 14-17. — The priests and Levites, and other Israelites who 
feared God, adhered to Rehoboam, and maintained the kingdom 
of Judah three years; after which time Rehoboam fell to idolatry, 
and walked no more in the ways of David and Solomon, 

975, I, Kings xiii, 1-6. — Jeroboam sacrificed to his calf at 
Bethel, and a prophet was sent unto him from God, who foretold 
the judgment which should one day be executed upon that altar 



22 CHKONOLOGICAL INDEX. 

and the priests that served at it. Which prophecy then and 
there was confirmed by signs and wonders upon the king him- 
self, and upon the altar. 

B. c. 

974. xiv. 25; II. Chron. xii. 2-4.— Shishali, king of Egypt, 
spoiled Jerusalem and the temple; but the king and the princes 
repenting at the preaching of 8hemaiah the prophet, God gave 
them not over to utter destruction. 

961. I. Kings xv; II. Chron. xiii. — Abijam, the son of Reho- 
boam, succeeded his father in the kingdom of Judah, and reigned 
three years. He obtained a great victory over Jeroboam, and 
killed 500,000 men in one battle and took Bethel. 

958, I. Kings xv. 8. — Asa, in the twentieth year of Jeroboam, 
succeeded his father Abijam, and reigned forty-one years. 

957. 25. — Nadab, in the second 3 ear of Asa, succeeded his 
father Jeroboam in the kingdom of Israel, and reigned two 
years, which are included in the twenty-two years of his 
father's reign. 

956. 27-30. — Nadab at the siege of Gibbet hon (a town of the 
Philistines) was slain by Baasha, of the tribe of Issachar, in the 
third year of Asa; and the same year, having made himself king 
over Israel, he utterly destroyed the whole race of Jeroboam, 
and reigned twenty-three years. 

II. Chron. xiv. 1-5. — Asa destroyed idolatry, and enjoyed ten. 
years of peace. 

946. 9-15 ; xv. — Zerah, the Ethiopian, with an innumerable 
army invaded Judah. Asa overcame him and made a solema 
covenant with God. He also deposed Maachah, his grand- 
mother, a great patroness of idolatry, brought unto the tem- 
ple those things which his father and himself had consecrated 
to God, and enjoyed a long peace. 

933. I. Kings xvi. 6-15.— Elah, the son of Baasha, succeeded 
his father in the kingdom o^ Israel and reigned but one year, 
beginning in the 26th and ending in the 27th year of Asa. 

932. 15-18.— Zimri, one of Elah's captains, conspired against 
Mm, killed him, and reigned in his stead seven days. As soou 
as he sat on the throne he destroyed the whole family of Baasha; 
but the army, which then lay before Gibbethon, made Omri their 
king, who presently besieged Tirzah and took it, which Zimri 
seeing set on fire the king's palace, and perished in the flames. 

21, 22. — The people of Israel were then divided into two fac- 
tions; one followed Tibni, the son of Ginath, and endeavored to 



CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX. 23 

make him king; the other adhered to Omri. But Tibci dying, 
Omri reigned alone. 

B. C. 

926. 23, 24. — Omri, having reigned six years in Tirzah, re- 
moved the seat of his kingdom to Samaria, a place which he 
himself had built. He reigned eleven years, being succeeded by 
his son Ahab in his twelfth year. 

921. 29; xxii. 51. — Ahab succeeded his father in the king 
dom of Israel and reigned twenty years in Samaria. Four years 
he was contemporary with Asa, and was succeeded by Aba- 
ziah in the 17th year of Jehoshaphat. He did evil in the sight 
of the Lord above all that were before him. 

917. 41, 42. — Jehoshaphat succeeded his father Asa in the 
fourth year of Ahab, king of Israel, and reigned twenty-five 
years in Jerusalem. 

902. XX. — Ben-hadad, king of Syria, laid siege to Samaria, 
who, by direction of a prophet, was beaten off and a vast num- 
ber of the Syrians slain. 

xxi. — Ahab, not being able to persuade Naboth to sell him 
his vineyard, fell sick; but Jezebel, his wife, suborning false 
witnesses to accuse him of blasphemy, caused Naboth to be stoned 
and put the king in possession of the vineyard. Whereupon 
the prophet Elijah denounced judgments against Ahab and 
Jezebel. Wicked Ahab repenting, God deferred the judg 
ment. 

901. xxii. 51 ; II. Kings iii. 1. — Ahaziah son of Ahab, in the 
seventeenth year of the reign of Jehoshaphat, began his one 
year's reign, being succeeded by his brother in the eighteenth 
year of Jehoshaphat. 

i. 17. — Jehoshaphat made Jehoram his son copartner with 
him ; whence it is that J« horam the son of Ahab, who succeeded 
his brother Ahaziah in the kingdom of Israel, in the eighteenth 
year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, is said to have begun his 
reign in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat. 

II. Kings i. 1 ; iii. 5. — Ahab being dead, the Moabites revolt 
from Israel, who had continued in subjection ever since King 
David's days. 

900. 1. — Jehoram succeeded his brother Ahaziah in the king- 
dom of Israel, in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat, and reigned 
twelve years. 

ii. 11. — Elijah was taken up into heaven in a fiery chariot. 

896. II. Kings viii. 16 ; II. Chron. xxi. 2, 3.— Jehoshaphat, 



24 CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX. 

grown old, gave to his sons many gifts, with fenced cities in 
Judea ; but his eldest son, Jehoram , was more absolutely invested 
with the throne of the kingdom in the fifth year of Jehoram, 
king of Israel. 

B. c. 

892. II. Chron. xxi. 4, 5 ; 10, 11.— Jehoram having reigned 
five years conjointly with his father, now by the death of his 
father has the kingdom of Judah to himself, which he held three 
years. When settled on his throne he slew all his brethren, with 
many of the princes of Israel. 

5-15. — Jehoram, following the counsel of his wicked wife Atha- 
liah, the daughter of Ahab king of Israel, raised up in Judah, 
and in Jerusalem, the idolatrous worship of Baal and compelled 
his subjects thereto ; a letter which was left for him by Elijah 
the prophet came to his hands, which reproved him, and an- 
nounced all those calamities and punishments which afterward 
befell him. 

889. II. Kings viii. 25. — Ahaziah succeeded his father in the 
Mngdom of Judah having had part of the government bestowed 
upon him the year before in the twelfth year of Jehoram king 
©f Israel, and reigned one year in Jerusalem. 

888, 28, 29 ; ix., x. — Jehoram king of Israel, and Ahaziah 
king of Judah, led their armies to Ramoth-gilead against Hazael, 
who had newly succeeded Ben-hadad in the kingdom of Syria ; 
Jehoram was dangerously wounded, and retired to Jezreel to be 
cured. 

ix. 1-10. — Elisha sent a young prophet with instructions to 
anoint Jehu, at Ramoth-gilead, kiog over Israel, and to open to 
him the will of God for the rooting out of the house of Ahab. 

11-37; X. 1-11. — Jehu, being proclaimed king, marched to 
Jezreel, killed Jehoram in the field of Naboth, and caused Jeze- 
IJel to be cast out at a window, where she was eateti by dogs. 
He despatched letters also to Samaria, and caused seventy of 
Ahab s children to be beheaded. Then he went to Samaria, and 
destroyed the whole family of Ahab, and all the priests of Baal. 
He reigned 28 years. 

Jehu proceeded farther and executed the divine vengeance 
upon the idolatrous house of Judah; he caused Ahaziah to be 
killed. Going also to Samaria he put to death Ahaziah's kins- 
men. 

xi. 2-^ II. Chron. xxii. 10-12. — Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab, 
seeing her son Ahaziah was dead, usurped the kingdom, de- 



CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX. 25 

stroying those that had right to the succession; but Jehosheba, 
the daughter of kiug Jehoram and wife to Jehoiada the high 
priest, took Jehoash, being then an infant, and sou to her 
brother Ahaziah, and hid him in the temple, and so saved him 
from that massacre which was made of the rest of the blood 
royal. Athaliah reigned over Judah six years. 

B. c. 

883. II. Kings xi. ; II. Chron. xxiii. — Jehoiada, the high priest, 
brought out Jehoash, now seven years old, and anointed him 
king; caused Athaliah to be slain and restored the worship of 
the true God, destroying the house of Baal, and commanding 
the idolatrous priest Mattan to be killed before his altars. Jeho- 
ash, then beginning his reign in the seventh year of Jehu, 
reigned forty years in Jerusalem. 

860. II. Kings xiii. 1. — Jehoahaz succeeded his father Jehu in 
the kingdom of Israel and reigned seventeen years, during 
which time Hazael, king of Syria, oppressed him and exercised 
all those cruelties upon the Israelites which Elisha the prophet 
had foretold. 

859. xii. 7. — Jehoash, in the twenty-third year of his reign 
gave order for the repair of the temple, committing the charge 
thereof to Jehoiada, the high priest. 

855. xiii. 10. — Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel, 
was taken into the consortship of that kingdom by his father in 
the twenty-seventh year of Jehoash, king of Judah, and reigned 
sixteen years. 

843. II. Chron. xxiv. 20, 21; II. Kings xii. 20.— Zechariah, the 
son of Jehoiada the high priest, for reproving the people of 
Judah that fell to idolatry after the decease of Jehoiada, was 
stoned to death in the court of the house of the Lord by the 
commandment of king Jehoash, who the next year after was 
murdered by some of his servants as he lay in his bed, and 
Amaziah, his son, succeeded him. 

xiii. — Jehoahaz died, and Jehoash, his son, succeeded in the 
kingdom of Israel. Not long after his father's funeral he visited 
Elisha, the prophet, then lying sick, and with many tears asked 
counsel of him, who promised him victory over the Syrians. 

A dead man was brought to life by being laid in Elisha's 
grave. 

828. xiv. 23.— Jehoash died fifteen years before Amaziah, 
and Jeroboam the second, his son, reigned in Samaria forty-one 
years. 



26 CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX. 

B. C. 

813. II. Chron. xxv. 27. — Amaziah, finding a conspiracy 
against him at Jerusalem, fled to Lachish, where he was mur- 
dered ; after this there was an interregnum during eleven years. 

802. II. Kings xv. 1, 2. — Uzziah, or Azariah, in the twenty- 
seventh year of Jeroboam the second, began his reign of fifty- 
two years in Jerusalem. 

xiv. 25 ; Jonah iii. ; Matt. xii. 41. — Jonah, of Gathhepher, was 
sent into Nineveh, the metropolis of Assyria, where both king 
and people at his preaching repented. 

787. II. Kings xiv. 29. — Jeroboam, king of Israel (under 
whom that kingdom came to its full height of glory), died. 
After his death all things fell into confusion, and the state was 
reduced to a plain anarchy, which lasted twenty -two years ; for 
such an interregnum or vacancy the sychronism of Kings 
requires. 

765. XV. 8. — Zachariah, the son of Jeroboam, the fourth and 
last of the race of Jehu (as was foretold), began his reign over 
Israel in the thirty-eighth year of Azariah, or Uzziah, king of 
Judah, and reigned six montbs. 

10 ; Amos vii 9. — Shallum, the son of Jabesh, murdered Zach- 
ariah and reigned one month in the thirty-ninth year of Uzziah, 
king of Judah. 

II. Kings XV. 14. — Menahem, the son of Gadi, killed Shallum 
and wasted Tiphsah and the borders thereof. 

764. 19. — While Menahem in the broils labored to get the 
possession of the kingdom, Pul, king of Assyria, invaded his 
country, to whom Menahem gave 1000 talents of silver, and after- 
ward reigned quietly eleven years. 

753. 23. — Pekahiah succeeded his father, Menahem, in the 
fiftieth year of Uzziah, king of Judah, and reigned two years. 

751. 25, 27. — Pekah, one of Pekahiah's captains, killed him 
in his own palace at Samaria and reigned twenty years. 

750. 32. — Jotham succeeded his father Uzziah in the king- 
dom of Judah at the age of twenty five years, and reigned 
fifteen years in Jerusalem and one year with his father. 

735. xvi. 1, — Ahaz succeeded his father Jotham in the seven- 
teenth year of Pekah, king of Israel, and reigned thirteen years. 

II. Chron. xxviii. 1 ; Isa. vii. — This yearRezin, king of Syria, 
and Pekah, king of Israel, were confederated against Judah, 
which struck great terror into that nation ; but unto Ahaz, God, 
by the prophet Isaiah, sent a gracious message with a promise 



CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX. 27 

of deliverance, God gave him the promise of Immanuel to be 
born of a virgin. Rezin and Pekah then laid siege to Jeru- 
salem, but were defeated. Ahaz was no sooner delivered from 
his enemies than he forsook God, his deliverer, and fell to idol- 
atry. 

Wherefore God gave him over into the hands of the king of 
Israel, who slew of the men of Judah 120,000 in one day, with 
a great many of the nobility, and carried away 200,000 captives j 
but these were released. 

B. c. 

724. II. Kings xv. 30. — Hoshea, the son of Elah, murdered 
Pekah, kiog of Israel, and secured the kingdom in the 20th year 
of Jothara, from the time that prince first began to reign, which 
was the fifth of Ahaz; but by reason of the tumults and disorders 
which ensued, cannot be said to have reigned till seven years 
after, the state continuing that time in great confusion, without 
any form of government. 

723. xvii. 3. — Shalmaneser, king of Assyria, came up against 
Hoshea, and made him to serve him. and pay tribute. 

722. xviii. 1; II. Chron. xxix., xxx., xxxi. — Hezekiah suc- 
ceeded his father Ahaz in the kingdom of Judah ; he destroyed 
idolatry and prospered ; he also celebrated a solemn passover. 
His father had made him in the last year of his reign his assist- 
ant in the government, hence his lone reign was but 28 years. 

II. Kings xvii. 4. — Hoshea, kiog of Israel, having consulted 
with So, king of Egypt, refused to pay tribute to Shalmaneser ; 
provoked thereby, and jealous of some farther design in the 
confederacy of Hoshea with the king of Egypt, Shalmaneser 
laid siege to Samaria, and towards the latter end of the third year 
took it, and carried away the Israelites captive into his own 
country. 

716. This was the end of the kingdom of Israel. It had been 
separated from the kingdom of Judah 262 years. 

712. xviii ; Isa. xxxviii. — Senacherib, king of Assyria, com- 
ing up against Judah, besieged their fenced cities and took 
many of them, but was pacified by a tribute. 

709. II. Kings XX.; Isaiah xxxviii. — About these times Heze- 
kiah fell sick, and was told by Isaiah that he should die ; but 
pouring out his tears and prayers unto God, he recovered his 
health and obtained a prolongation of his life fifteen years. For 
■a, sign whereof the sun went ten degrees backward. 

II. Kings xix. ; Isaiah xxxvii. — Senacherib, not observing the 



28 CHRONOLOGICAL IISTDEX. 

articles of peace, laid siege to Jerusalem and sent a l)lasphemous 
letter to Hezekiah, which he opening and spreading befoie the 
Lord in the temple with many tears, craved assistance from God 
against the Assyrians. Whereupon the prophet Isaiah assured 
him that God would deliver him and defend that city. The same 
night an angel of the Lord slew 185.000 men in the Assyrian 
army, and the next morning Senacherib departed and returned 
to Nineveh, and when he was worshiping in the house of Nisroch, 
his god, he was slain by his sons. 

B. c. 

694. II. Kings xxi. ; 11. Chron. xxxiii.— Manasseh at twelve 
years of age succeeded his father Hezekiah, and reigned 55 years. 
He set up idolatry and shed much innocent blood. Wherefore 
God delivered him into the hands of the Assyrians, who in the 
22d year of his reign carried him away captive to Babylon ; but 
upon his repentance God restored him to his liberty and king- 
dom. 

639. 11. Kings xxi. 19 ; II. Chron. xxxiii. 21, 22.— Amon, 
aged 22 years, succeeded his father Manasseh and reigned two 
years. An idolater indeed, as his father, but not penitent; he 
was murdered by his own servants. 

637. xxii. 1 ; II. Chron. xxxiv. — Josiah, a child of eight years 
old, succeeded his father Amon, and reigned 31 years. In his 
time lived Jeremiah and Zephaniah the prophets, and Huldah 
the prophetess. 

626. In the 12th year of his reign he began reformation in 
Judah and Jerusalem, and carried it on successfully. 

11. Kings xxiii, ; 11. Chron. xxxiv. — He gave order for the 
repairing of the temple. Hilkiah the high priest, having found a 
book of the law, sent it to the king, who heard it read ; and he 
asked counsel of Huldah the prophetess, who prophesied the 
destruction of Jerusalem, but not in his days. Josiah calling to 
him the elders of Judah and Jerusalem, with the priests and 
prophets, caused the book of the law to be read before all the peo- 
ple, and renewed the covenant between God and his people ; he 
burned also dead men's bones upon the altar at Bethel, as was 
foretold, and kept a mcst solemn passover. 

606. II. Kings xxiii. 29; Zech. xii. 11 ; IL Chron. xxxv. 25; 
Lam. iv. 20. — At this time a war broke out between the king of 
Egypt and the king of Assyria. Josiah unadvisedly engaged 
in this war against Necho, king of Egypt, and was slain in the 
valley of Megiddo. The good king being thus taken out of the 



CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX. 29 

world, whose life only kept off the Babylonish captivity from 
that nation, not only the people then living bewailed his de^th, 
but even in after time a public mourning for him was kept. The 
prophet Jeremiah also, in remembrance thereof, composed his 
Lamentations; wherein bewailing the calamities which were 
shortly to befall that people, as present before his eyes, in a 
most compassionate manner he points at the death of Josiah as 
the source and origin of all those ensuing miseries. 

II. Kings xxiii. ; II. Chron. xxxvi. — After the death of Josiah 
the people anoint Jehoahaz, one of his younger sons, to be their 
king. After three months' reign he was deposed by Pharaoh 
Necho, who made Eliaki'm, his elder brother, king over Judah 
and Jerusalem, and changed his name into Jehoiakim ; but Je- 
hoahaz he carried with him captive into Egypt, where he ended 
his days. 

5. — Jehoiakim, at 25 years of age, began to reign, and he 
reigned 11 years. 

Jerem. xxvi. — Uriah and Jeremiah prophesied against Jerusa- 
lem ; the former was put to death, the latter was acquitted and 
set at liberty. About this time IlaTDakkuk also prophesied. 

B. c. 

604. XXV. 1 ; II. Chron. xxxvi. 6 ; Jerem. xxv. 11 ; xxix. 10; 
Dan. 1. 1 ; ii. 32, 37, 38.— This year was Nebuchadnezzar made 
by his father Nabopolassar his associate in the kingdom of 
Assyria and Babylon, into whose hands God delivered up 
Jehoiakim, who was put in chains to-be carried to Babylon ; but 
upon his submission and promises of obedience was left in hi& 
own house, where he lived a servant to Nebuchadnezzar. From 
this time the seventy years of the captivity to Babylon are 
reckoned, which were foretold by the prophets Jeremiah and 
Daniel. 

Dan. 1. 3, 7 ; Isaiah xxxix. 7. — Nebuchadnezzar gave order 
to Ashpenaz, master of the eunuchs, that he would carry from 
thence of the children of Israel, both of the blood royal (as was 
foretold by the prophet Isaiah to Hezekiah) and also of the no- 
bility, the choicest youths both for beauty and wit, who, being 
educated three years in the language and sciences of the Chalde- 
ans, might afterward serve the king in his palace ; among whom 
of the tribe of Judah are Daniel, called Belteshazzar ; Hananiah, 
called Shadrach ; Mishael, called Meshach, and Azariah, called 
Abednego, their names being thus changed by the master of 
the eunuchs. 



30 CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX. 

B. C. 

603. Dan. i. 2 ; II. Chron. xxxvi. 7. — Whilst Nebuchadnezzar 
pursued his viciories over the king of Egypt, his father died, 
which, coming to his knowledge, be gave order to bring the cap- 
tives to Babylon, where he was received as the lawful successor 
to his father s dominions. \ He caused to be brought to Babylon 
what he thought proper of the vessels and f urnituie of the tem- 
ple, and placed them in the house of his god, Belus. 

601. II. Kings xxiv. 1 ; Dan. ii. — Jehoiakim, having lived 
three years in subjection to the king of Babylon, rebelled against 
him. 

This was the third year of Nebuchadnezzar's lone reign. 
Daniel recovered Nebuchadnezzar's dream and interpreted it to 
apply to the four chief monarchies, for which service he and his 
companions were highly honored. 

595. II. Kings xxiv. 2 ; Jerem. xxii. 18; xxxvi. 30. — Nebu- 
chadnezzar sent an army consisting of Chaldeans, Syrians, 
Moabites, and Ammonites, against Jehoiakim ; these wasted the 
whole country of Judea and carried away from thence 3,033 
captives. Jehoiakim was put to death. 

II. Kings xxiv 8; II. Chron. xxxvi. 9.— Jehoiachin at eighteen 
years of age succeeded his father Jehoiakim, and reigned ihree 
months in Jerusalem. 

Isa. xxxix. 6 ; Jerem. xxiv. 1 ; Ezek. xvii. 1, 2, 3, 12. — 
Against him Nebuchadnezzar led an army, and besieged 
Jerusalem. Jehoiachin with all his kindred and courtiers came 
out to meet him. Nebuchadnezzar made them all prisoners, 
entered Jerusalem and took all the treasure he found in the tem- 
ple and the king's palace, breaking in pieces all the vessels of 
gold and furniture which Solomon had made for the temple ; he 
carried away captive to Babylon the king, his mother, wives, 
courtiers, magistrates and 10,000 able men out of Jerusalem, 
leaving none behind but the poorer sort of people ; and out of 
the country round about he carried also away 8,000 artificers ; 
among the captives were Mordecai and Ezekiel the priest; Eze- 
kiel therefore in his prophecy reckoned the time from the begin- 
ing of that captivity. An epistle, said to be Jeremiah's, was 
then sent to the captives, admonishing them to beware of the 
Idolatry which they should see in Babylon. 

II. Kings xxiv. 17.— Nebuchadnezzar before his departure 
from Jerusalem made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin's father's brother, 
king, changing his name into Zedekiah. 

585. II. Chron. xxxix. ; II. Kings xxv. ; Jerem. i. 3. ; xxxix.; 



CHROXOLOGICAL INDEX. 31 

lii. ; II. Kings xxv. ; Exekiel xxv. ; 12.— Zedekiah, beginning 
his reign at 21 years of age, reigned ten years. He by rebelling 
against Nebuchadnezzar, or rather by continuing in an open 
rebellion against Gcd, brought upon Jerusalem and the whole 
nation of the Jews those long-deserved calamities which God 
had so often forewarned them by his prophets ; for, in the 
eleventh year of Zedekiah, Jerusalem, after a long siege, was 
taken by Nebuchadnezzar, and the Chaldeans entered it. Zed- 
ekiah fled by night, but being pursued, was taken and brought 
prisoner to Riblah, Nebuchadnezzar's headquarters ; there hav 
ing first slaughtered his children before his eyes, he had after, 
ward those eyes put out ; and being bound with chains, he was 
carried captive to Babylon. About a month after the taking of 
the city, Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, sent by Nebuchad- 
nezzar, made entry into it, set fire to the temple, the kings palace 
and some noblemen's houses, and so laid the whole city in ashes ; 
the walls of Jerusalem being razed to the ground. All that was 
left in the city, with what treasure he could find, he carried 
with him to Babylon. It was 423 years from the time of the 
dedication of the temple to the time it was burned, 

II. Kings xxv. 21. — Judah was removed from her own land 
473 years after David began to reign over it, 393 years after the 
falling off of the ten tribes, and 131 years after the de"=truction 
of the kingdom of Israel. Obadiah pronounced God's judgment 
against the Edomites, who exulted over the calamities of the 
Jews. Jeremiah, Ezekiel and the author of the 79th and 137th 
Psalms wrote about this time. 

PERIOD VII. — FROM THE BURNING OF THE TEMPLE TO THE 

BIRTH OF JESUS. 
B. C. 

567. Dan. iv. 29-33. — Nebuchadnezzar, proud of his victories 
over Egypt, and his conquest of Judea and other countries, and 
boasting the magnificence of his buildings, fell distracted and 
was driven from the society of men. 

560. 34-37 ; vii. 4. — After seven years spent among the 
beasts of the field, his understanding returned to him, he hum- 
bly acknowledged the power of God and his goodness toward 
him, and was restored to his kingdom. A few days after he 
died, having reigned about twenty months with his father and 
forty-three years by himself alone. 

II. Kings xxv. 27. — Evil-Merodach ascended the throne twen- 
ty-five years after the burning of the temple and reigned two 



32 CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX. 

years. He gave orders for the enlargement of Jehoiachin ; 
changed his prison clothes, set him above all the princes of his 
court, and caused him to eat at his own table. Jehoiachin died 
about two years after this. 

B. C. 

558. Neriglissar succeeded Evil-Merodach, and reigned four 
years. 

554. Dan. vii. — Belshazzar having removed some persons 
who had murdered his father, Evil-Merodach, and usurped his 
throne, succeeded in the kingdom of Babylon. In the first year 
of this kings reign Daniel had the vision of the four beasts, 
signifying the four great monarchies of the world, and of God 
delivering over all power and sovereignty to the Son of man. 

552. viii. — In the third year of Belshazzar, Daniel received 
the vision of the ram and the he-goat, betokening the destruction 
of the Persian monarchy by Alexander the Great, and the great 
misery which Antiochus should bring upon the people of God. 

537. V. ; Jerem. xxvii. 7 ; xxv. 12 ; 1. ; li. ; Isa. xiii. ; xlv. ; 
Hab. ii. ; Dan. vii. 5. — This year Belshazzar made a great feast 
for all the nobles, and caused to be brought forth all the vessels 
of the house of the Lord, which JSTebuchadnezzar had brought 
away from Jerusalem, to the glory of his idols and dishonor of 
the true God. In the midst of all this jollity a hand appeared 
writing upon the wall of the room in which the king and his 
numerous guests sat drinking. The king, greatly terr fied, sent 
for his Chaldean astrologers and commanded them to read the 
writing, and give him the interpretation of it ; but they not 
being able to do either, Daniel was sent for, who read the writ- 
ing and gave the king the interpretation of it. Whereupon. 
Daniel was publicly proclaimed the third man in the kingdom. 
The same night Belshazzar was slain, Babylon was taken by 
Cyrus, and the empire was transferred to the Medes and Persians, 
as had been foretold by the prophets. 

Dan. V. 31 ; vi. 6, -Cyrus, having given the kingdom of Babylon 
to Darius, the Mede, reserving some palaces in the city for him- 
self, he returned through Media into Persia. 

Daniel's greatness raising envy in some principal courtiers and 
officers, these contrived his ruin. But finding nothing in his 
management of affairs whereof to accuse him, they resolved that 
Daniel's piety toward God should become an offence worthy of 
death. They moved the king to make a decree that for thirty 
days no petition should be made to any god or man, but to him- 



CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX. 33 

self only. Which decree Daniel broke by making supplicatioD 
to his God, and was for so doing cast into a den of lions. But 
being found to have received no hurt, Darius commanded his 
conspirators to be cast into the same den, who were presently 
devoured ; and the king published a decree that all persons 
throughout his dominion should reverence and fear the God of 
Dan'el. 

B. c. 

535. V. 30 ; vii. 5 ; viii. 4. — The empires of Media and Per- 
sia fell to Cyrus, and he slew Belshazzar king of Babylon, so he 
was possessed of the whole eastern empire ; from which, time 
we reckon the seven years of his reign. 

Josephus Ant. xi. 1, 1; Ezra i. 2; Isa. xliv. 28. — In his first 
year he issued the following edict : ' ' Thus saith Cyrus king of 
Persia : The Lord God of heaven hath given me all the king- 
doms of the earth, and hath charged me to build him a house at 
Jerusalem, which is in Judah." At which time, the seventy 
years of the Babylonish captivity expired. He gave leave to all 
the Jews dwelling in all parts of his dominions to return into 
their own country, and commanded them immediately to rebuild 
the temple. He restored also all the vessels of the house of God, 
which Nebuchadnezzar had brought from thence ; and contrib- 
uted toward the building. 

534. Ezra iii. 8. — In the second year after their return from 
Babylon, in the second month, they laid the foundation of the^ 
temple. 

532. iv. 5. — The Samaritans by the means of certain court- 
iers about Cyrus, whom they had bribed for that purpose, dis- 
turbp.d the Jews in their work of the temple. 

529. 6. — In the beginning of the reign of Ahasuerus, also 
called Cambyses, the Samaritans openly framed a direct accusa- 
tion in writing against the Jews, and presented it to the king, to 
foibid them to proceed in the building. 

519. Ezra v. 1, 2. — In the second year of Darius Hystaspes, 
Zerubbabel and Joshua, incited by the prophets Haggai and 
Zechariah, set forward the building of the temple. 

515. vi. — In the sixth year of Darius Hystaspes the temple 
was finished and dedicated, and the passover was also celebrated. 

485. Josephus Ant. xi. 5, 1. — Xerxes succeeded Darius 
Hystaspes on the Persian throne. 

464. 6, 1; Ezra iv. 7. — Artaxerxes Longimanus, called Ahas- 
uerus in the book of Esther, succeeded his father Xerxes in the 
Persian kingdom. 



34 CHKONOLOGICAL INDEX. 

B. C. 

462. Josephus Ant. xi. 6, 1, 2; Esther i; ii. — Ahasuerus (Artax- 
erxes Longimanus) put away Queen Vashti, his wife, in the 
third year of his reign. 

458. ii. 1, 16. — In the seventh year Ahasuerus espoused Esther, 
the niece of Mordecai, the Jew. 

Ezra vii ; ix. — Ezra, the priest, a man skilled in the law of 
Moses, obtained a large commission from king Artaxerxes, or 
Ahasuerus, in the seventh year of his reign to settle the Jewish 
commonwealth and to reform the church at Jerusalem. At this 
time a great multitude of Jews returned from Babylon. Daniel's 
70 weeks, or 490 years, began with this date. 

X. — Ezra required those who had taken strangers to wife to 
send them back. 

453. Esther iii. ; iv ; Deut. xxv. 19. — Haman. an Agagite, a 
great favorite of king Ahasuerus, offended at Mordicai because 
he fell not down to adore him, laid a plot to destroy the Jewish 
nation. 

Esther iv. — Haman obtained an edict from the king that all 
Jews, without respect to sex or age, upon the thirteenth day of the 
month Adar, be put to death in all the provinces of the king's 
dominions. But Mordecai, Esther, and all the Jews humbled 
themselves before the Lord by fasting and prayer. 

vi. — Ahasuerus, hearing it read in the chronicles that a con- 
spiracy had been discovered to him by Mordecai, commanded 
that he be publicly honored, and that by Haman himself, his 
deadly enemy. 

vii. ; ix. — Esther, entertaining the king and Haman at a ban- 
quet, made suit for her own life, and her people's, and accused 
Haman. The king, understanding that Haman had provided a 
gallows for Mordecai, caused him to be hanged thereon. In 
memory of this great deliverance the two days of Purim are 
made festival. 

444. Neh. ii. — In the twentieth year of king Artaxerxes, 
Nehemiah was made governor of Judea. 

4,32. V. 14; xiii. 6. — Nehemiah having governed Judea 12 
ye^rs returned to Persia, and after certain days he returned to 
Jerusalem. 

397. xiii. ; Malachi iv. 4 ; Luke i.l7 ; Matt. xi. 14 ; xvii. 12. 
— Malachi, the last of the prophets, was contemporary with 
Nehemiah in the latter part of his governorship, and labored 
to correct those disorders which had crept in among the Jews 
after Jerusalem was rebuilt. 



chronological index. 35 

:b. c. 

336. Dan. vii. ; 6.— Philip II. king of Macedon having died, 
Alexander his son at the age of twenty, ascended the throne. 

384. Josephus Ant. xi. 8, 1-3; Dan. viii. 5.— Alexander the 
Great, king of Macedon, passed out of Europe over the Helles- 
pont into Asia, and began to lay waste the Persian empire. 

383. The battle of Issus was fought in November in this year 
in which Alexander with his 35,000 trained soldiers defeated 
Darius with his 500,000 men. 

Josephus Ant. xi. 8, 3, 4. — Manasseh, brother to Juddua the 
high priest, refusing to put away his strange wife, was driven 
from the sacrifice. Sanballat his father-in-law, governor of 
Samaria, revolted from Darius, obtained leave of Alexander to 
build a temple on Mount Gerizim, and made Manasseh high priest 
thereof, to which resorted all such as were entangled in unlaw- 
ful marriage, with all such offenders as thought themselves not 
safe in Jerusalem, This was the rise of that schismatical con- 
Tenticle of the Samaritans. (See John iv. 20.) 

xi. 8, 5 ; Dan. viii. 7 ; xi. 18. — Alexander marched toward 
Jerusalem, intending to besiege it» Jaddua the high priest hear- 
ing of it, put on his priestly ornaments, and with the people all 
in white, went out to meet him. Alexander, seeing his habit, 
fell prostrate before him, saying that, whilst he was in Mace- 
donia, a man appeared unto him in the very same habit, who 
invited him to come into Asia, and promised to deliver the 
Persian empire into his hands. After this he went to the temple 
and offered sacrifice according to the high priest's direction, 

331. I. Maccabees i. 1. — The decisive battle of Arbela was 
fought in October of this year. Darius Codomanus, the Persian 
emperor, with his 500,000 men was defeated, and he fled for his 
life. Alexander the Great who crossed the Hellsepont about 
three and one-half years before, with 80,000 men on foot, and 
6,000 mounted on horses, had conquered the most powerful 
empire which the world had then known. 

380. Dan. viii. 7 ; xi. 3. — Darius was captured and slain 
and Alexander became the universal monarch of the Eastern 
world. 

323. Josephus Ant. xii. 1, 1.— Alexander died at Babylon, 
at the age of 32 years, an^|||||ii3 laid in a gold coffin, and buried 
at Alexandria, Egypt. He had reigned 12 years and 8 months, 
7 years and 8 months after the decisive battle with Darius. 

On the death of Alexander the Great, the army elected as king 
of Macedon, Arrhidaeus, under the name of Philip HI. He was 



36 CHRONOLOGICAL IKDEX. 

son of Philip II. and Philinna, one of his many wives. He was 
a youth of weak understanding, and was unfit for the duties of 
government. 

Polysperchon, regent of Macedon, and Olympias, mother of 
Alexander the Great, opposed the claim of Philip III. to the 
thrcne,jin support of the young Alexander Aegus, a posthumous 
son of Alexander and Roxana. They were all finally put to 
death ; so that in fifteen years after the death of Alexander not 
one of his family or posterity remained alive. 

xii. 1. — After the death of Alexander the Great, his generals 
divided his army and his dominion among themselves as govern- 
ors. They disregarded the claim of the weak Arrhidaeus 
also of the young Alexander Aegus, assuming the right of in- 
dependent government. 

1. Cassander, son of Antipater, received the governorship of 
Macedon and Greece. When young he had been ill used by Alex- 
ander for which he entertained moital hatred to that monarch's 
family. On the death of his father, B. C. 319, he expected to 
succeed to the regency ; but Polysperchon received this honor, 
who sustained Aegus, son of Alexander, as having the right to 
the throne. Cassander contested the sovereignty, and succeeded. 
In B. C. 307 he had the peaceable possession of Macedon. 

2. Eumenes, private secretary to Philip of Macedon, and alsa 
to his son, Alexander the Grtat, under whom he was a com- 
mander of the cavalry in the division of the Cv^untries, received 
the governorship of Cappadocia and Paphlagonia, with the sea 
coast of Pontus as far as Trapezus ; but as they were not yet 
subdued, Perdiccas, a general of Alexander, having received the 
signet-ring at the death-bed of the great conqueror, claimed the 
protection of theempiie; charged Leonnatus and Antigonus 
to put Eumenes in possession. This order was disregarded, but 
Perdiccas assisted him in getting possession of Cappadocia. 

3. Lysimachus received the governorship of Thrace and 
other countries on the coast cf the Euxine. 

4. Dan. xi. 5. — Ptolemy I., surnamed Soter, or the Preserver, 
the son of Logus, secured the governorship of Egypt, to which, 
he added Cyprus, Phoenicia, and Caria. This was the kingdom 
of the south. ■^^ftMl^ 

5. Seleucus I., surnamed Nicator, son of Antiochus, a dis- 
tinguished officer in the service of Philip, king of Macedon, re- 
ceived the governorship of Syria, Babylon, Media, and the 
neighboring countries, even to the Ganges. 



CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX. 37 

6. Antigonus, son of Philip of Elymiotis, possessed the gov- 
ernorship of Phrygia Major, Lycia and Pamphylia. He was 
ambitious to acquire all the territory left by Alexander. He 
took Babylon, which the conference of the generals had prom- 
ised to Seleucus I., and held it eleven years. 

B. c. 

320. Josephus xii. 1, 1. — Ptolemy, surnamed Soter, made him- 
self master of Jerusalem by a stratagem. He entered the city 
on a Sabbath day under pretence of offering sacrifices. He sent 
several colonies of Jews into Egypt and put great confidence in 
them. 

312. Seleucus I. contested and won the possession of Babylon 
from Antigonus. This is the date of the beginning of the 
Seleucidse dynasty of kings, to whom fell that portion of Alex- 
ander's immense and ill-compacted monarchy, which included 
Syria, a large portion of Asia Minor and the whole of the eastern 
province. 

301. 15. — Antigonus, still ambitious to acquire territory, con- 
tinued his exploits until Cassander, Lysimachus, Ptolemy I. 
and Seleucus I. formed an alliance which ended this year in the 
l>attle of Ipsus in Phrygia, in which Antigonus was slain, and 
his dominions were divided among the allies, the larger share 
teing given to Seleucus I., whose kingdom was the stronger 
one in the north. 

Dan. viii. 8, — The four principal divisions of the domains of 
'' Alexander the Great were as follows : 

1. Greece, which was made a Roman province B. C. 147. 
9,— The Roman power is represented by the little horn in its 

Tseginning, " which waxed exceeding great." 

2. The Syrian empire, under the Seleucidae. This began 
with Seleucus I., B. C. 312, and ended B. C. 65, at which date 
Antiochus XIII., king of Syria, was deposed by Pompey, and 
Syria was brought under the control of the Roman empire. 

3. Asia Minor, or Cappadocia, which was brought under the 
Homan power B. C. 47, by defeating Pharnaces. 

4. Egypt, under the reign of the Ptolemys. There were 
thirteen kings in succession who bore this name. Ptolemy XII. 
and Ptolemy XIII. were brothers who reigned in succession, 
and were also the successive husbands of Cleopatra, their sister, 
who reigned conjointly with them consecutively. Cleopatra 
caused the last Ptolemy to be put to death, after which she 
married Antony, with whom she reigned fourteen years. This 



38 CHKONOLOGICAL INDEX. 

ended that dynasty in Egypt, which began with Ptolemy Soter 
B, C. 323, and ended with the reign of Cleopatra, B. C. 30, at 
which date it was reduced to a province of the Roman empire. 

B, C. 

285. Josephus Ant. xii. 2, 1. — Ptolemy Philadelphus, son of 
Ptolemy Soter, being a great favorer of learning, built a most 
magniticent library at Alexandria. Demetrius Phalerlus, to 
whom he had committed the care of procuring all sorts of books, 
and out of all countries, persuaded him to employ seventy-two 
Jews in translating the Holy Scriptures out of the orignal 
Hebrew into the Greek tongue, which was done in the seventh, 
year of his reign. This copy of the sacred Scriptures is called 
the Septuagint, and is the oldest version of the Bible extant. 

177. II. Mac. iii. — One Simon, a man of the tribe of Benja- 
min, governor of the temple, falling out with Onias, the high 
priest, went to Apollonius, the governor of Celosyria, and in- 
formed him that there was a vast treasure in the temple. Apol- 
lonius acquainted Seleucus, king of Syria, who sent his treasurer 
Heliodorus to Jerusalem to bring this money away. Heliodorus 
entering the temple, was by angels struck down and carried 
from thence half dead ; but he was soon after restored to his 
health. Returning to Seleucus who senL him, he magnified the 
holiness of the temple, and the power of God dwelling in it. 

176. I. Mac. i. 10.— Antiochus Epiphanes succeeded Seleucus 
in the kingdom of Syria, and reigned eleven years and some 
months. 

175. II. Mac. iv. 7. — Jason, by corrupting King Antiochus, 
obtained the office of high priest. 

172. 3-24. — Menelaus, brother to Simon the traitor, being 
employed by Jason to carry the money to the king, promised 
300 talents of silver above what Jason had sent, and received 
the priesthood to himself. 

170. 37. — Menelaus, not paying the money he had promised 
the king at his admission, was summoned to appear before Anti. 
ochus. He substituted Lysimachus, his brother, in his place. 

I, Mac. 21, 22 ; II. Mac, v. ; Josephus Ant. xii. 5, 4. — Antiochus 
took Jerusalem and sacked it, pillaged the temple, destroyed 
40,000 of the inhabitants, and sold as many more. He endeav- 
ored also to abolish the worship of God, and forced many Jews 
to forsake their religion. The Samaritans then disowned their 
relation to the Jews, to whom in prosperity they pretended alli- 
ance, and consecrated the temple on Mount Gerizim to Jupiter. 



CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX. 39 

B. C. 

167. Josephus Ant. xii. 5, 4. — King Antiochus, by a public 
edict, commanded all nations tbat were subject unto him to 
observe the same way of worship, and laying aside their 
peculiar customs, to profess the same religion with the Grecians, 
the punishment of death being threatened unto such as should be 
disobedient ; and he appointed overseers over every people and 
nation, who should compel them thereunto. Of the Jews many 
chose rather to undergo the most cruel torments than to offer 
sacrifice unto idols. All which martyrdoms, with those glorious 
sufferings of the seven Maccabean brethren, are recorded in the 
two books of Maccabees. 

I. Mac. ii.; II. Mac. vi. ; Josephus Ant. xii. 6, 2 ; Warsi. 3, 3. 
— Mattathias, a priest with his five sons, slew those that were 
sent by King Antiochus to compel them to off er abominable sac- 
rifices, and afterward went themselves to the desert. They 
were followed by many others, of whom a great number were 
stifled in their caves, because they would not defend themselves 
on the Sabbath day. Mattathias abolished that superstition, 
and exhorted his sons to assert their privileges, and deliver their 
country from bondage. From Mattathias descended the Mac- 
cabean race who ruled in Jerusalem many years. 

166. Josephus Ant. xii. 6, 4 ; I. Mac. iii ; II. Mac. viii.— 
Mattathias died, and Judas Maccabeus his son took upon him 
the management of affairs. He delivered his country, and 
purged it from the abominations which had been committed in 
it. 

Josephus Ant. xii. 7, 1. — Apollonius, governor of Samaria, 
having raised an army among the Gentiles and Samaritans, fell 
upon the Jews ; but was discomfited and slain by Judas Mac- 
cabeus. 

I. Mac. iii. 18. — Seron also, governor of the lower Syria, 
mustered up all the forces under his command, and invaded 
Judea ; Judas Maccabeus encountered him, slew 800 of his men, 
and put the rest to flight. 

165. 27 ; Josephus Ant. xii. 7, 2. — Judas Maccabeus defeated 
a great army, which Antiochus sent against the Jews. Lysias 
returned with a greater power ; Judas killed 5,000 of his men, 
and caused him to retreat. He purified the temple, and set it 
in order, after it had lain desolate three years ; and built a waU 
•about Zion. 

164. I. Mac. vi. ; II. Mac. ix. 9 ; Josephus Ant. xii. 9, 1. — 
Antiochus was taken with a violent pain in his bowels, and 



40 CHKONOLOGICAL INDEX. 

such a rottenness seized his flesh that worms bred in it ; he con- 
fessed that he was plagued for the wrong done to Jerusalem, 
and died 159 years after the death of Alexander the Great. 

II. Mac. xiii — His son Antiochus Eupator, a child about nine 
years old, succeeded him. He made peace with the Jews, but 
quickly broke it; he put to death Menelaus the high priest, and 
conferred that honor upon Alcimus, or Jacimus. 

xiii. 3, 1, — Onias IV., retired into Egypt, where Ptolemy 
Philometor, and Cleopatra his wife, permitted him to build a 
temple at Heliopolis in the imitation of that at Jerusalem, and 
they constituted him high priest. 

I. Mac. vii. — Demetrius Soter, the son of Seleucus, escaped 
from Rome, and came into Syria, where he caused himself to be 
crowned king, and put to death Antiochus and Lysias. 

B. c. 

161. II. Mac. xiv.; Josephus Ant. xii. 10, 5. — Demetrius, at 
the instance of Alcimus, sent Nicanor with a great army against 
Judas Maccabeus, whom he endeavored to surprise. They 
joined battle, and Nicanor was slain. 

I. Mac. ix ; Josephus Ant. xii. 11, 1-2. — King Demetrius sent 
Bacchides with a new army, consisting of 20,000 men, against 
Judas Maccabeus ; Judas, having with him but 800 men, ven- 
tured to engage him, and was slain. His brother Jonathan was 
ohosen general in his stead. 

160. I. Mac. viii. 19 ; Josephus Ant. xii. 10, 6. — Jonathan 
■entered into an alliance with the Romans. Josephus observed 
that this was the first league that was ever known to be between 
the Jews and the Romans. 

I. Mac. ix. 55, 56. — Whilst Alcimus commanded the wall of 
the inner court of the temple to be pulled down, God struck 
him suddenly with the palsy, so that without speaking a word 
he died in great torment. 

158. Josephus Ant. xiii. 1, 1-6. — Jonathan, having wearied 
Bacchides by war, compelled him to make a league and draw off 
his army, 

153. I, Mac. x. 1 ; Josephus Ant. xiii. 2, 1. — Alexander Balas, 
the son of king Antiochus Epiphanes, entered with an army 
into Syria ; the garrison of Ptolemy set open their gates to him 
by reason of their hatred to King Demetrius, who prepared him- 
self for war. 

I Mac. X. 3, 10. — Demetrius desired an alliance with Jonathan, • 
who made use of this occasion to repair the fortifications of 
Jerusalem. 



CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX. 41 

15-20 ; Josephus Aut xiii. 2, 2. — Alexander Balas was no less 
careful to obtain the friendship of Jonathan, and, to oblige him, 
conferred on him the high priesthood. 

I. Mac. X. 21. — Jonathan put on the holy vestment on i^ne 
seventh mouth at the feast of tabernacles. He was the first high 
priest of the Asmonean, or Maccabean family. 

B. c. 

150. Josephus Ant. xiii. 2, 4. — Demetrius and Alexanaer 
came to a battle, and Demetrius was slain. 

4, 1-2; I. Mac. x. 51-60. — Alexander Balas, finding himself in 
the peaceable possession of the kingdom of Syria, espoused 
Cleopatra, the daughter of Ptolemy Philometer, king of Egypt, 
Alexander highly honored Jonathan, the high priest, at his 
nuptials. 

148. 67-85. — Demetrius Nicanor, eldest son of Demetrius 
Soter, entered into Cilicia with an army. King Alexander Balas 
gave the command of Syria to Apollonius, who set upon Jona- 
than, the high priest ; Jonathan, defeated him and took Joppa 
iind Azotus, and burned the temp].e of Dagon. 

146. Josephus Ant. xiii. 4, 6-7 ; I. Mac, xi. — Ptolemy Philo- 
meter, king of Egypt, came to the relief of King Alexander, his 
son-in-law. Alexander ungratefully set Ammonius to lie in 
ambush to kill him. The treachery being discovered, Ptolemy 
took away his daughter from Alexander and married her to 
Demetrius. Alexander having been driven from Antioch, the 
inhabitants of that place made offer of the kingdom to Ptolemy; 
but he refused it, and persuaded them to accept of Demetrius 
for their king, 

145. Josephus Ant. xiii. 48-9; I, Mac. xi. — Alexander re- 
turned with a great aimy. Ptolemy and Demetrius united 
their forces, and overcame him in a pitched battle ; but Ptolemy 
died of the wounds which he received, after he had seen the 
head of Alexander, sent to him by an Arabian prince. 

Jonathan besieged the citadel at Jerusalem, held by a garrison 
of Macedonians. Complaint being made to Demetrius, Jona- 
than appeased him by presents, and obtained new favors for the 
Jews. Demetrius incurred the hatred of his soldiers by abridg- 
ing their pay in time of peace. 

Josephus Ant. xiii, 5, 1.— Tryphon, with some soldiers that re- 
volted from Demetrius, undertook to establish Antiochus, the 
son of Alexander Balas, in the kingdom of Syria. 

144. 3-4 ; I, Mac. xi, 55.— Demetrius was vanquished by 



42 CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX. 

young Antiochus, and made to fly into Seleucia. Great honors 
were by Antiochus conferred on Jonathan, who assisted him 
against Demetrius. 

xii. — Jonathan renewed his alliance with the Romans and 
Lacedaemonians, and fortified Jerusalem. 

B. c. 

143. Josephus Ant. xiii. 6, 1-5. — Tryphon relieved himself 
of Antiochus, and reigned in his stead ; but fearing Jonathan's 
opposition, he invited him to come to Ptolemais, and bring with 
him some few of his soldiers, premising to deliver that city into 
his hands. Jonathan, suspecting no treachery, went only with 
1,000 men to Tryphon at Ptolemais ; but as soon as he entered 
the city, Tryphon commanded the gates to be shut. Jonathan 
was taken prisoner, and all his men put to the sword. 

I. Mac. xiii. ; Josephus Ant. xiii. 6, 4-6. — The Jews made 
choice of Simon Maccabeus for their general, in the place of his 
brother Jonathan. Tryphon led an army against Simon. He 
promised for 100 talents of silver to release Jonathan. The 
money being paid him, he broke his promise and put Jonathan 
to death, Simon erected a stately monument for his father and 
his brethren. 

I. Mac. xiii. 31, 32. — Tryphon murdered the young king An- 
tiochus, and placed the crown on his own head. 

xiv. 18.— The Romans and Lacedaemonians renewed their 
leagues with Simon, and wrote them on tables of brass. 

141. Josephus Ant. xiii. 6, 4-7. — Simon had the government 
and high priesthood settled on him and his heirs. The Jews 
were by this means discharged from all manner of tribute to any 
foreign prince. He took Zion, the fortress of Jerusalem, drove 
out of the city all idolaters, cleared the houses of their idols 
and placed in the city such as were true worshipers of God. 

138. 1-2. — Tryphon's vices rendered him so odious to his 
soldiers that they submitted themselves to Cleopatra, Demetrius' 
relict. She married Antiochus Soter, Demetrius' brother, and 
caused him to be crowned king. Antiochus drove Tryphon out 
of Syria, besieged him in Dora, whence he fled to Apamea, 
where he was taken and slain. 

135. I. Mac. xvi.; Josephus Ant. xiii. 7, 4. — Simon, the 
high priest, traversing the cities of Judea, and taking care for 
theirorderly government, came down with his two sons, Matta- 
thias and Judas, to Jericho. Ptolemy, the son of Abubus, Simon's 
son-in-law, invited them to a castle which he had fortified. 



CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX. 43 

called Dochus, and there, whiUt he entertained them at a ban- 
quet, barbarously murdered them. John Hircanus succeeded 
'his father in the high priesthood. 

B. C. 

130. Josephus Ant. xiii, 9, 1. — John Hircanus took Shechem, 
and demolished the temple on Mount Gerizim 202 years after it 
had been built by Sanballat. 

107. Josephus Ant. xiii. 11, 1. — Judas, eldest son of Hircanus, 
otherwise called Aristobulus, succeeded his father in the govern- 
meot and the high priesthood ; he was theiirst who p-laced after 
the return from the captivity of Babylon a crown upon his 
head, and changed the state into a monarchy. 

89. Luke ii. 37. — Anna, the prophetess, daughter of Phanuel, 
of the tribe of Asher, this year became a widow, departed not 
from the temple, but served God with fasting and prayer night 
and day for eighty-four years, until she saw Christ in the temple. 

63. Josephus Ant. xiv. 4, 1-4. — Jerusalem was this year 
taken by Pompey, who meddled not with any of the treasure 
which was in the temple, but niade the Jews tributary to the 
Romans. 

48. Here begins the empire of the Roman Cmsars, when Julius 
Ccesar, having overthrown Pompey at the battle of Pharsalia, Sept.. 
1st, was made perpetual dictator. 

41. 14, 5. — Herod, the son of Antipas, or Antipater, an Idu- 
mean, was this year by the Romans declared king of Judea. 

38. 16, 1-2.— Herod, assisted by Sosius, the Roman general, 
laid siege to Jerusalem and took it ; the soldiers fillt d all parts^ 
of the city with blood, rapine and cruelty. Antigonus, the last 
prince of the Asmonean race, and high priest, was carried 
prisoner to Rome and beheaded, and Herod put in full posses- 
sion of the kingdom. 

28. — Csesar Ociavius, nephew to Julius Caesar, with the assent 
of tbe senate and people of Rome, assumed the title of eoiperor, 
at which time the government among the Romans was legally 
changed from a republic into a monarchy. The year followiug 
he was by the senate surnamed Augustus. This is the begin- 
ning of imperial Rome. 

20. John ii. 20. — Herod this year began to rebuild the temple 
at Jerusalem, forty-six years before the first passover of the 
ministry of Christ, and in nine years and a half finished that 
magnificent structure. 

7. Luke i. 11. — The angel Gabriel appeared to Zachariah, the^ 



44 CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX. 

priest, as he was offering incense in the temple, telling him that 
a son should be born unto him, whom he should call John, who 
also should be a Nazarite, and the forerunner of the Lord in the 
spirit and power of Elias. 

I. Chron. xxiv. 10, 19 ; II. Chron. viii. 14 ; xxiii. 8 ; Luke i. 5. 
— There were twenty-four courses of priests. Each one offi- 
ciated but one week at a time. The first served the first week 
after the Feast of Tabernacles, and again the first week after 
the feast of unleavened bread. Zachariah, the father of John 
the Baptist, was of the course of Abia, or Abijah, which was 
the eighth course. 

When the first priest served in the first week after the feast 
of unleavened bread. Zachariah would officiate, Julian time, 
May 30 to June 6. According to the usual course of nature, 
John the Baptist would be born about the first of March. 

B. c. 

6. Luke i. 26 ; ii. 8. Christ was born abDut six months after 
John the Baptist, which would be about the first of September. 
This is probably the date of the birth of Jesus as near as we 
can arrive at it. 

When the first priest officiated in the first week after the Feast 
of Tabernacles, then with the same reckoning Jesus would be 
born in February. This being in the winter and rainy season, 
the shepherds would not abide in the field with their flocks in 
the night ; therefore this was not the time of the birth of the 
Christ. 

21 ; Matt. ii. 1. — On the eighth day after his birth he was cir- 
cumcised and named JESUS. The wise men of the East brought 
presen s to the new-born King of the Jews. 

14.— Joseph fled into Egypt with the child Jesus and Mary 
his mother. 

5. 16. — Herod commanded the infants in and about Bethle- 
liem to be slain. 

4. Josephus Ant. xvii. 8, 2. — Herod died about the last of 
March, and his son Archelaus was by Caesar made tetrarch of 
Judea. Other dominions which belonged to Herod were divided 
:amoDg his other sons. 

3. Matt. ii. 1, 21, 23.— Christ, by God's appointment, was 
l)rought back out of Egypt into Nazareth. 

The first year of the vulgar Christian Era began here. 

A. D. 

7. Luke ii. 46. — By occasion of the passover our Lord went 
up to Jerusalem with his parents, and there disputed with the 
doctors in the temple, at the age of twelve years. 



CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX. 45' 

A. D. 

14. Augustus died, and Tiberius succeeded him. 

24. Matt. iii. 1 ; Mark i. 2 ; Luke iii. 3 ; John i. 7.— John the; 
Baptist began to preach and to baptize in the desert of Judea^ 
thereby preparing the way of the Lord, that Christ, coming 
after him, might be made known unto Israel. Unto John God. 
gave a sign whereby he might know the Lord's Christ, that upon 
whom he should see the Spirit descending and remaining on 
him, the same was he who should baptize with the Holy Ghost. 

25. Josephus Ant. xviii. 2, 2. — Josephus, called Caiaphas, 
was made a high priest of the Jews, by the favor of the Roman 
governor.' 

Toward the end of this year Pontius Pilate was sent to be 
procurator of Judea. 

Mat. iii. 13 ; Mark i. 9 ; Luke iii. 22. — Jesus entering upon the 
thirtieth year of his age, came from Galilee to Jordan, and was 
baptized of John; at which time a most illu.-trious manifesta- 
tion was made of the blessed Trinity ; for the Son of Godasccnd-^ 
ing out of the water, the Spirit of God in the shape of a dove; 
descended upon him, and the voice of the Father was heard 
from heaven, saying, this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well 
pleased. 

John i. 34. — John saw it, and bore record that this was the Son. 
of God. 

Matt. iv. 1 ; Mark i. 12 ; Luke iv. 1.— Jesus, full of the Holy 
Ghost, returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the 
wilderness, where he fasted forty days and forty nights, and 
was tempted by the devil, 

14.— Alter this our Lord returned into Galilee. 

John. i. 35-47. — John gave testimony to our Savior passing by 
him. Andrew, Peter, Philip and Nathanael acknowledged hini 
to be the Messiah, and became his disciples. 

ii. 1. — Christ, at a marriage in Cana of Galilee, turned water 
into wine. This was his fiist miracle. 

26. Dan. ix. 27. — The first passov^r of Christ's public ministry, 
from which the first year of the seventieth and last of Daniel" s 
weeks began ; in which the covenant was confirmed with many. 

John ii. 13 ; Matt. xiv. 3 ; Mark vi. 17 ; Luke iii. 19 ; John 
iv. 7. — Jesus came to Jerusalem at the time of the passover, 
and scourged those that bought and sold in the temple. They 
required a sign of his authority ; Christ bade them destroy that 
temple (meaning the temple of the body,) and in three days he 
would raise it up. Herod the tetrarch cast John the Baptist in- 



46 CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX. 

to prison for reproving him of incest with his brother Philip's 
wife, and other evils done by him. Christ discovered himself 
to the woman of Samaria. He went through all Galilee teach- 
ing in the synagogues and working miracles. 

A. D. 

27. V. 1. — The second passoDer of Ghrisfs ministry. 

2-13.— Jesus went to the feast at Jerusalem, and healed on 
the Sabbath a man that had an infirmity thirty-eight years, 
lying at the pool of Bethesda. 

Matt, v., vi,, vii. ; Luke vi. 13 ; Mark vi. 7. — Christ from his 
disciples chose twelve, whom he called apostles, namely : Peter, 
Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matihew, Thomas, 
James the son of Alpheus, Simon called Zelotes, Judas the broth- 
er of James, and Judas Iscariot. To these our Savior chiefly 
directed his discourse in that glorious, full and admirable Ser- 
mon on the Mount. 

Matt. X. 1, 7, 8. — Jesus sent his twelve apostles by two and 
two to preach and to heal the sick. 

28. Mark vi. 35-44 ; Luke ix. 12-17 ; John vi. 1-13.— John 
the Baptist was beheaded in prison by Herod's command. Jesus 
fed 5,000 men, besides women and children, with five barley 
loaves and two little fishes. He refused to be made king. 

4. —The third passover of Chrisfs ministry and the middle of the 
third year of the seventieth week of Daniel. 

Matt. xvii. 1-5 ; Mark ix. 1-7 ; Luke ix. 28-35. — Jesus was 
transfigured on the Mount ; Moses and Elias were seen to talk 
with him ; and a voice from heaven was heard saying. This is 
my be'oved Son ; htar ye him. 

51-56; Matt. xvii. 24-27.— Christ paid tribute to Caesar. A 
certain village of the Samaritans refused our Savior entertain- 
ment on his way to Jerusalem ; the disciples, desiring to call 
fire from heaven to consume them, were severely reprehended. 

Luke X. 1. — The seventy disciples were sent out by two and 
two to work miracles and to preach. 

xi. 1. — Christ taught his disciples to pray. 

John xi. 1. — Christ raised Lazarus, who had been dead four 
days. 

50. — Caiaphas, high priest of the Jews, prophesied concerning 
the death of Christ. 

Luke xix. 1-6.— Zacchaeus, a publican, converted. 

Mark x. 46 — Christ restored to blind Bartimseus his sight. 

Johnxii. 3. — Mary the sister of Lazarus anointed our Savior's 



CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX. 47 

feet with costly spikenard, aud wiped them with the hair of 
her head. 

Malt. xxi. ; Mark xi. ; Luke xix. ; John xii. ; Isa. lii. ; Zech. 
ix. 9. — Christ rode in triumph into Jerusalem. The multitude 
spread their garments in the way, and cried, Hosanna to the 
Son of David. Coming near the city, he wept over it, and fore- 
told its destruction. He entered the temple and cast out those 
that bought and sold there, and healed the blind and lame. 

Matt. xxi. 19. — Christ cursed the fruitless fig tree, and the 
next morning it was found dried up and withered. Thence he 
took occasion to show the power of faith. 

A. D. 

29. XX vi. 2; Mark xiv. 1; Luke xxii. 1; John xiii. 1; I. 
Cor. V. 7 ; Dan. ix. 27. — The fourth passover, imohich Christ our 
passover was sacrificed, and so an end teas put to all legal sacrifices 
prefiguring tJiis great expiation. This was the fourth or middle 
of the middle year ofDanieVs last iceek. ' ' In the midst [or middle] 
of the week [seven years] he [Christ] shall cause the sacrifice 
and oblation to cease." 

On the first day of unleavened bread, which began at sunset, 
Jesus ate with his disciples and instituted the sacrament of his 
body and blood in bread and wine. 

John xiii. — Christ washed his disciples' feet, and exhorted 
them to humility and charity. 

Matt, xxvii. — In the same night Christ was betrayed by Judas, 
mocked, buffeted, and spit upon by the soldiers. 

Ps. xxii. ; Mark xv, ; Luke xxiii. ; John xix. — In the day 
(Abib the 14th, which was April 1st, Julian time) he was con- 
demned by the Jewish council, and crucified by Pilate. The 
sun during the crucifixion was darkened, and the vail of the 
temple rent in the midst. Christ, praying for his enemies, gave 
up the ghost. Joseph of Arimathjea begged the body and laid it 
in a new sepulchre. 

Matt, xxviii. ; Mark xvi. ; Luke xxiv. ; John xx. — On the 
third day, the next after the Jewish Sabbath, which was the 
Christian Sabbath and the day of offering the first fruits (April 3), 
Christ arose from the dead and became the first fruits of them 
that slept ; his resurrection was declared by angels to the women 
that came to the sepulchre. Christ first appeared to Mary 
Magdalene, and afterward to his disciples, and dined with them. 

Acts i. ; Matt, xxviii. — Christ, 40 days after his resurrection, 
brought his apostles to Mount Olivet ; commanded them to ex- 



48 CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX. 

pect in Jerusalem the sending down of the Holy Ghost ; sent 
them to teach and baptize all nations, and blessed them ; and 
while they beheld, he was taken up and a cloud received him 
out of their sight. After his asceosion the disciples were in- 
formed by two angels that he would come again. They ac- 
cordingly returned, and giviog themselves to prayer, chose 
Matthias to be an apostle in the place of Judas. 

Acts ii. — On the Christian Sabbath, May 22nd, which was the 
anniversary of the giving of the law on Mount Sinai, called the 
Feast of Weeks, or Pentecost, the Holy Ghost descended on the 
disciples in the form of cloven tongues like as of fire, and en- 
abled them to speak different languages. That day about 3,000 
believers were added to the church. 

iii. — Peter, by faith in Christ's name, healed a lame man. 

iv. — The rulers of the Jews, offended at Peter's sermon and 
his miraculous cure of the lame man, cast both him and Joha 
into prison. On their examination they boldly avouched the 
lame man to have been healed by the name of Jesus, and that by 
the same Jesus we must be eternally saved. After this the Jews- 
forbade them to speak any more in that name; but the apostles, 
answered that they should obey God rather than man. They 
were threatened and let go. 

V. 1, 10. — Ananias and his wife Sapphira, for their hypocrisy,, 
were suddenly struck dead. 

The apostles were again cast into prison by the high priest ;: 
but an angel set them at liberty, and bade them preach the gos- 
pel to the people without fear. Being taken again teaching ia 
the temple, they were brought before the council, where, by 
the advice of Gamaliel, a Pharisee and doctor of the law, they 
were delivered. 

A. D. 

31. vi. ; vii. — The number of believers increasing at Jerusa- 
lem, the apostles ordained seven deacons, who should distribute 
the alms of the church to the widows and poorer class of believers. 
Stephen, one of these deacons, having confounded some that dis- 
puted with him, was by them falsely accused of blasphemy 
and brought before the council, where he reprehended their 
rebellion and murdering of Christ. Whereupon they cast him 
out of the city, and stoned him ; in the meantime he was praying^ 
for them. 

viii. — A great persecution of the church at Jerusalem arose 
after the death of the first martyr, Stephen. 



CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX. 49 

A. D. 

32. 5. — Philip, one of the seven deacons, preached at Sama- 
ria, and many were converted, miracles v^^ere wrought and the 
sick healed, Simon the sorcerer, seeing the wonders that were 
done, believed and was baptized. 

15. — The apostles at Jerusalem, hearmg tnat many in Samaria 
had been converted, sent thither Peter and John to confirm them. 
The apostles laid their bands on them and they received the 
Holy Ghost. Simon Magus offered them money, that he might 
receive the power of conferring the same, whose impiety was 
sharply reproved by Peter. 

viii. 26, — God by an angel sent Philip to teach and baptize 
the Ethiopian eunuch. 

33. ix. 1-21.— Saul, a violent persecutor of all that called on 
the name of Jesus, and one who consented to the death of 
Stephen, went towards Damascus with commission from the 
high priest and the council to apprehend all Christians and to 
bring them bound to Jerusalem ; on the way he was miraculous- 
ly converted ; and three days after baptized by Ananias at Da- 
mascus, where he preached the gospel of Christ with great bold- 
ness, to the astonishment of those that knew upon what design 
he was sent thither. 

36. 23; II. Cor.xi. 32; Gal. i. 17, 18.— Saul having preached 
the gospel at Damascus the Jews lay wait to kill him, but he 
escaped from thence and went into Arabia and came to Jerusa- 
lem ; there he saw Peter, and James the brother of our Lord, 
and abode with them fifteen days. 

Acts xxii. 17. — While Saul prayed in the temple, he was in a 
trance, and the Lord appeared unto him, and bade him to de- 
part from Jerusalem, because they would not receive his testi- 
mony ; adding, that he would send him to the Gentiles, 

ix. 30 ; Gal. 1. 21. — Saul leaving Jerusalem went to his own 
country. Tarsus, and from thence traveled into Syria and Cilicia. 

Acts ix. 32-41. — Peter visited the churches of Judea, Galilee 
and Samaria. At Lydda ^neas was cured of the palsy ; and at 
Joppa Tabitha or Dorcas was restored to life. 

41. X, — At Caesarea, Cornelius, a centurion, by prayers and 
alms found favor in the sight of God, and was commanded by 
an angel to send for Peter, then at Joppa, God by a vision 
taught Peter not to despise the Gentiles, Peter being sent for by 
Cornelius, went and preached Christ to him and a great company 
that were met at his house ; while Peter was preaching the Holy 
Ghost fell upon them all ; and immediately the apostle bap- 
tized them. 



60 CHEONOLOGICAL INDEX. 

xi. — Peter, on his return to Jerusaleni, was accused by those 
of the circumcision of associating with the Gentiles ; but he de- 
clared to them his vision, and the w^hole matter concerning Cor- 
nelius ; and they glorified God for granting to the Gentiles re- 
pentance unto life. 

The believers, who ever since the martyrdom of Stephen had 
been dispersed throughout all Phenice and Cyprus, came ih. n 
to Antioch, and preached the gospel to the Greeks there, having 
before preached to none but the Jews. The church at Jerusa- 
lem, understanding this, and that the number of believers in- 
creased exceedingly, sent Barnabas thither to confirm them ; he 
went to Tarsus, and took Saul with him to Antioch, where they 
continued a whole year ; multitudes were converted. Here the 
disciples were first called Christians. 

A. D. 

44. xii. — About that time James the brother of John was be- 
headed by the command of Herod Agrippa, He also imprisoned 
Peter, whom an angel delivered. This same Herod not long 
after this delivered an oration at Csesarea and some of them cried 
out. It is the voice of God, and not of man : and immediately 
an angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not the glory 
to God ; and he was eaten of worms and died. 

45. xiii.— Barnabas and Saul set forward in their preaching 
of the gospel. They planted the Christian faith in Seleucia, 
Cyprus and other places. At Paphos they preached the gospel 
to Sergius Paulus, governor of that country : Elymas, a sorcer- 
er, wiihstanding them, and endeavoring to turn away Sergius 
from the faith, was at Saul's rebuke struck blind. From that 
time Saul was always called by his new name, Paul ; he preached 
at Antioch ; the Gentiles believed, but the Jews gainsayed and 
blasphemed. From thence he and his assistants turned to the 
Gentiles, and went to Iconium. 

46. xiv. ; II. Cor. xi, 25. — At Iconium they were persecuted 
and barely escaped being stoned. From thence they fled to 
Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia. At Lystra a cripple be- 
ing healed the multitude cried out, that the gods were come 
down to them, and called Barnabas, Jupiter ; and Paul, Mercu- 
rius ; and would have sacrificed to them had not the apostles 
assured them that they were men like themselves. Soon after 
there came Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who excited the 
people against them. Paul was by the furious multitude stoned 
and drawn out of the city as dead ; but while the disciples stood 



CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX. 51 

about him, he rose up and the next day departed with Barna- 
bas to Derbe. 

xii. 2. — In that year, perhaps at that very time, Paul was 
caught up into the third heaven, and heard unspeakable words. 
This was fourteen years before he wrote his second epistle to the 
Corinthians. 

II. Tim. i. 2, 5. — About that time Timothy, though a child 
with his mother Eunice, and his grandmother Lois, embraced 
the Christian faith preached by Paul. 

A. D. 

52. Acts XV. — Certain Judaizing Christians came from Judea 
to Antioch, and taught that the Gentiles ought to be circum- 
cised, and observe the law of Moses ; these Paul and Barnabas 
opposed, and a council was held by the apostles and others at 
Jerusalem to determine this controversy. The decrees of the 
synod were sent to the churches. 

xvi. — Paul went to Derbe and found there Timothy, whom 
he took with him. He was by a vision admonished to go into 
Macedonia ; he went to Philippi, the chief city of that part of 
Macedonia, where Lydia was converted. A spirit of divination 
was cast out of a maid, whose masters, losing their gain, brought 
Paul and Silas before the magistrates ; these caused them to be 
whipped and imprisoned ; but at midnight, Paul and Silas 
prayed and sung psalms, the doors of the prison flew open and 
their bonds were loosed ; the jailer was converted and baptized 
the same night, with his whole family. 

xvii. — From Philippi Paul went to Thessalonica, where he 
found a synagogue of the Jews ; there he preached three Sab- 
bath days ; some believed, others persecuted him. Leaving 
Thessalonica he came to Berea;and soon after arrived at Athens, 
disputed with the philosophers, and declared unto them that 
UNKNOWN GOD whom they had ignorantly worshiped. Dr 
onysius the Areopagite was converted. 

54. xviii. — Paul at Corinth met with Aquila and Priscilla, 
not long before banished from Rome by the decree of Claudius. 
Here he continued a year and six months, and from thence wrote 
to the Thessalonians. 

12. — Paul was accused by the Jews, and brought before Gallio, 
procounsul of Achaia, who refused to be judge in a controversy 
about religion. 

56. 19. — Paul departed from Corinth and passed to Ephesus, 
thence he set out toward Jerusalem, that he might be at the 



52 CHKONOLOGICAL INDEX. 

feast ; he landed at Csesarea, went down to Antioch, and came 
iuto the regions of Galatia and Phrygia, and confirmed the dis- 
ciples in all those places. 

A. D. 

57. xix. 1-9. — Paul returned to Ephesus, disputed daily in 
the school of Tyrannus, and continued preaching there and in 
the vicinity. 

58. He wrote his epistle to the Galatians. 

24. — At Ephesus, Demetrius, a silversmith, jealous of his gain, 
raised a tumult against Paul, which was appeased by the town- 
clerk. 

I. Cor. i. 11 ; xvi. 8. — About this time a schism arose in the 
church at Corinth, which caused Paul (now in or about Ephesus) 
to write his first epistle to the Corinthians. 

Acts XX. — Paul departed from Ephesus and came into Mace- 
donia and other places and gathered a contribution for the re- 
lief of the saints at Jerusalem. 

60. II. Cor. viii. 1-19 ; I. Cor. xvi. 5. — The apostle, having 
learned from Titus the success of his first epistle, wrote now his 
second epistle to the Corinthians. He went to Corinth, where 
he wrote his epistle to the Romans. 

Acts XX. 3. — Paul proposed to carry the collections to 
Jerusalem. But the Jews laid wait for him ; he understanding 
this, returned into Macedonia and thence into Asia. 

6-9. — After the days of unleavened bread Paul sailed from 
Philippi, and came to Troas ; there Eutychus who fell from the 
third loft was restored to life. 

Acts xxi. — Paul came to Jerusalem, was apprehended in the 
temple, and secured in the castle ; he claimed the privilege of a 
Roman, and escaped scourging. 

xxii. ; xxiii. — Paul pleaded his case before Ananias the high 
priest. The chief captain, understanding that above forty 
Jews had bound themselves under a curse neither to eat nor 
drink till they had killed him, sent him to Felix, the governor 
of the province, by whom he was imprisoned at Csssarea. 

xxiv. — Paul was accused before Felix by Tertullus the orator : 
Felix went out of his oiRce, and to gratify the Jews, left Paul in 
prison. Porcius Festus succeeded him in the government. 

Acts xxv.^The Jews came to Csesarea and accused Paul be- 
fore Festus. He answered for himself, and appealed unto 
Csesar. King Agrippa came to Csesarea, and Festus opened the 
whole matter to hira. 



CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX. 53 

xxvi. — Paul made his defense in the presence of Agrippa, 
who thereby was almost persuaded to be a Christian, and the 
whole company pronounced him innocent. 

63. xxviii.— Paul was conducted to Rome; he was a prisoner 
at large, and preached there two years. 

Here ends the history of the Acts of the Apostles, written by St. 
Luke, St. Paul's beloved companion in his travels. 

St. Paul from Rome wrote his epistles: — To the Philippians ; 
To Philemon ; To the Colossians ; To the Ephesians. 

Heb. xiii. 24. — About the latter end of this year St. Paul was 
set at liberty ; and a little before his departure out of Italy into 
Asia he wrote his epistle to the Hebrews. 

Titus i. 5. — He preached the gospel in the Isle of Crete, and 
left Titus there to set things in order and ordain elders in 
every city. 

65. St. Paul wrote his epistles— To Timothy I. ; To Titus; To 
Timothy II. 

About this time the epistles of St. Peter, St. John and St. 
Jude seem to have been written. . 

66. St. Peter and St. Paul are said to have suffered martyr- 
dom at Rome towards the latter end of Nero's reign. 

70. Luke xix.43,44. — This year Jerusalem (according to Christ's 
prophecy) was besieged, taken, sacked and burned by Titus ; 
1,100,000 of the Jews perished, 97,000 were taken prisoners; 
besides an innumerable company that in other places of Judea 
killed themselves, or perished through famine, banishment, or 
other miseries. 

96. St. John was banished to the Isle of Patmos by Domitian 
and there received and wrote his Revelation. 

After the death of Domitian, St. John returned to Ephesus, 
and at the request of the church wrote his gospel. 



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